Love Me As Who I Really Am
by czarek
Summary: Kaoru is caught in a lethal web involving murder, deceit and prostitution. Kenshin is the FBI agent sworn to protect her. But the calm agent suddenly realizes that he is gradually falling for his charge. Action & suspense. KxK
1. The First Time I Met You

Disclaimer: I confess to Almighty Minna-san that I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters. They rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki- sensei so don't sue me. I only write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.  
  
Author's greetings: When I went home this afternoon, I watched TV with my nephew and niece while my younger brother played Pokemon in the PC. That's when the idea for this fic hit me. What if Kaoru was a prostitute and Kenshin met her in a nightclub? There's a little bit of lesson here too… I think. Don't worry, there's no lemon here. Just pure blah, blah, blah. Now read on and enjoy. PUH-lease review too.  
  
WARNING: I dunno… tell me if this fic contains a bit of OOCness, okay?  
  
Rating: PG (though ratings will vary as the story unfolds)  
  
Love Me As Who I Really Am  
  
Chapter I: The First Time I Met You  
  
"Are you really serious about this, Kaoru?" Misao asked her best friend, eyebrows furrowing in worry. "I mean, Dad and I are always ready to help you. You can leave this cramped flat and move into my house. You could bring your brother, Yahiko with you, even though he's a total pest. What are best friends for?" Misao stood up and walked towards her best friend's tattered bed and sat down beside her. "Please, have mercy on yourself, girl."  
  
Kaoru shook her head from left to right. She peered into Misao's face. "Misao, I am eternally grateful for Okina and your help. Okina took my brother and me in since our parents died when I was thirteen. But I'm nineteen now. I'm of legal age and have to live through my own earnings. Yes, I don't have to pay for my college tuition because I'm a full scholar. But I want to support Yahiko and send him to school myself. Please understand. Kindly respect my decision." She took Misao's hand and held it in her own.  
  
Misao remained silent for several seconds. Finally, she looked up into the older girl's face. "Why don't you live with the daughter of your mom's best friend? Wasn't it you two were quite close when you were still children?" She asked Kaoru hopefully.  
  
"Who? Megumi?" Kaoru asked, surprised the younger girl brought the topic up. But she shrugged the idea off. "No. She can't take us in. As you know, her parents died with my parents when that building… exploded. She had gone through a trauma then. Yeah, we're still close, but she's not that sweet as before. And she's struggling to survive, too. She's only twenty-three and is training to be a very good doctor in some hospital in New York." Kaoru explained.  
  
"You do communicate, right?" Misao inquired.  
  
"Right." Kaoru replied smiling.  
  
"But…"  
  
"Please, Misao, I know what I'm doing."  
  
"JUST TAKE SOME OTHER JOB!" Misao exploded.  
  
Kaoru covered her ears with her hands. "Misao, can you shout, like, any louder?"  
  
Misao stood up and began pacing around the room. She paused and stared worriedly at her best friend. "Do you really want to be a common prostitute? Sell your body? Let some guy take your virginity away?"  
  
"Do you think I would want to be called a prostitute?" Kaoru stood up and looked out the window. "Los Angeles doesn't seem like the City of Angels at the moment." She sighed.  
  
"How did Yahiko take it?" Misao asked unexpectedly.  
  
Kaoru didn't answer.  
  
'You haven't told him yet?!" Misao asked disbelievingly.  
  
"I don't know where to start!" Kaoru shrugged. "You know him. He'll explode."  
  
"I know what you mean, girl. But, can't you just be a cashier or a waitress or something more DECENT?"  
  
Kaoru sighed heavily. "They won't take me. I only want part-time work. They want those who'll work full-time. And anyway, they said I scare the customers away." She chuckled. "I wonder what they meant?"  
  
Misao chuckled with her. "I told you. Lose that tiger-look, sister." Then she became serious once again. "Promise me one thing."  
  
"What?" Kaoru sat once again on her bed and retied the laces of her shoes. Her black shoes actually reached the top portion of her ankles with two inches-high heels. She had on a black hanging top with a V-neck, exposing the creamy skin from her slender throat to below her collarbone and brown, leather, fitting pants that hung to her slim thighs like second skin with the portion from knees down to her feet in a flared style.  
  
Misao stared at the older girl. *My best friend doesn't deserve to be a cheap prostitute. I'm gonna persuade her to stop this madness soon. *  
  
"I said what is it, Misao?" Kaoru stood up and faced her squarely.  
  
"Huh? What? Uh, I mean promise me this. Puhlease, don't let them touch you." Misao said with this really serious look on her face.  
  
"Touch the who of the them? What are you talking about, Misao?" Kaoru cocked her head to the side curiously.  
  
"I said promise me that you won't let those men touch you." Misao smiled. "Talk them to sleep instead."  
  
Kaoru smiled. "Trust me. My body's reserved for my future husband." Then they both giggled their heads silly.  
  
Suddenly, the door swung open. "What're you guys guffawing about?" A boy about the age of eleven walked into the small room, skateboard in one hand. He had spiky hair and had on a loose orange shirt and loose khaki pants.  
  
"Shut up, Yahiko." Misao glared at the younger boy.  
  
Yahiko stuck his tongue out at Misao. The seventeen-year-old girl muttered something, which nobody could surely understand.  
  
Then Yahiko saw that his sister was all dressed up. "You guys going somewhere?"  
  
Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, it's almost lunch. Misao and I are going out to eat on a nice restaurant. Come on, come with us." She added, grabbing her bag from the bed.  
  
"Why not. Though it would be better if some weasel would just stay behind." Yahiko said innocently.  
  
Misao bonked Yahiko on the head hard. "Brat! I'm gonna pay for what you eat so respect me!"  
  
@@@  
  
"Loosen up, Kenshin." Sano tried persuading his auburn-haired friend as they were walking along the hallway. "You've been working hard since we joined the FBI. Why don't you just come with the group to the nightclub tonight?"  
  
"I told you, Sano, I've got too much work to do." Kenshin said as he quickened his pace, still holding the folders that held important files in one hand. "And I'm not interested."  
  
"Come on! Aoshi's coming too." Sano filled him in as they entered the open door.  
  
Kenshin tried walking faster than his friend and reached his table. He sat down on his chair and set the folders on the table and opened them one by one. "Why don't you go on ahead if you want to spend the night in that club that you call… what do you call the club again?"  
  
Sano let out a chuckle. "It's called… the Seduction Hall." He said with this really dreamy look in his eyes. "Man! You gotta come along! You hafta! I tell you, man. There are lots of hot babes and sexy chicks in this club." Sano moved his eyebrows up and down in a wicked way.  
  
Kenshin didn't answer. He was looking into some files about the cases of whomever.  
  
"Kenshin! Are you coming or what?" Sano asked impatiently.  
  
Kenshin didn't take his eyes off the files he was looking into. "I don't care if there are HOT BABES or SEXY CHICKS in that hall of yours but that club is clearly just a red-light district."  
  
Sano sighed. "Come on, Kenshin. Enjoy life while your still alive."  
  
Kenshin heaved a heavy sigh, and then closed the folder he was looking into. He looked up to his friend. "Since you won't stop irritating me, Sano… okay, I'll come with you. Now let me work." He opened the folders again and burrowed his nose into it.  
  
"How could you say that to me, man? I'm your partner, remember?" Sano said, resting his hands on the table.  
  
"Let me work." Kenshin said abruptly.  
  
"Sure. Oh, I think you should stop working now. It's already lunch break. Come on. Let's go outside and eat. Your treat. I think I could ask Aoshi to come with us. The more, the merrier, right?" Sano joked.  
  
Kenshin sighed once again. "When you're around, Sano, I can't seem to finish my job."  
  
Sano placed his right arm around Kenshin's neck and dragged him away from his table. "Come on!"  
  
"Oro!" Kenshin muttered as his face gradually turned purple with suffocation.  
  
@@@  
  
"Sano, you couldn't always eat for free, you know." Kenshin told Sano.  
  
Sano shrugged. "Don't worry, man. I'll pay you back."  
  
Kenshin smiled in amusement. "You presently owe me two hundred and seventy five dollars."  
  
Kenshin, Sano and Aoshi were sitting on Table V in a nice restaurant called Oishii Cuisine. This restaurant serves both oriental and western dishes. And as usual, Sano was the one who ordered for the group.  
  
"I said I'd pay you back, OK, Kenshin. Yo! Waiter! Waiter! Can I have some service here please?!" Sano waved at the waiter impatiently. "Good, you're here."  
  
"What will you have, sir?" The waiter said grandly, a small pad of paper in one hand and a ball pen in the other. Kenshin suppressed his laughter when he saw the waiter's toupee. The waiter handed the menu to Kenshin, but Sano snatched it away from him.  
  
"Hey! I do the talking here!" Sano said.  
  
"It would be nice if you could also do the paying." Kenshin commented, amused.  
  
Sano glared at him. Then he shifted his attention back to the waiter. "OK, listen up. I'd like three plates of beef steaks and—"  
  
"Beef steaks? Aren't those expensive, Sano?" Kenshin cut in.  
  
"Let me finish, Kenshin. Three beefsteaks, two glasses of orange juice and a glass of ice tea. Get it? And make quick!" The waiter nodded at Sano and left.  
  
"Oro…" Kenshin muttered.  
  
Sano grinned broadly. "Leave it to me, man. I know what I'm doing."  
  
Aoshi looked out into the glass window with an impassive expression on his face. He rested his elbows on the table and glanced around the restaurant warily.  
  
@@@  
  
"C'mon! Let me order!" Yahiko told Misao.  
  
"No way! You'll gobble up everything anyway, even your sister's!" Misao answered hotly.  
  
Kaoru laughed to herself. The three of them were seated on Table XI in Oishii Cuisine, and Misao and Yahiko were arguing on who should do the ordering. The waiter was scratching his head in confusion.  
  
Finally, the waiter handed the menu to Kaoru. "Will you please order for your friends, miss?"  
  
"Sure. Ah… we'll have pasta and french-fries… and three large glasses of soda." Kaoru said slowly, scanning the menu with her fingers. She nodded affirmatively at the waiter.  
  
The waiter smiled and took the menu from her. Then he turned his back on them and left.  
  
Misao sighed. She glanced around the restaurant. Suddenly, her eyes rested on a certain dark-haired, impassive-looking guy with icy, blue eyes. She nudged Kaoru on the ribs.  
  
"Kaoru, check out those guys at Table V." Misao jerked her head towards Aoshi's direction.  
  
Kaoru followed her gaze. She saw the guy Misao was referring to all right, but her eyes rested on a certain redhead. But she just shook her head. "Stop fantasizing, Misao." She laughed at her best friend.  
  
"I think the auburn-haired one is gorgeous too." Misao said, wiggling her fingers.  
  
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru replied shortly. "Anyways, I think I'm going to ask that waiter to give me three glasses of water too." She stood up and walked briskly towards the waiter who served them earlier. "Um, hi." She said uncertainly.  
  
The waiter turned around and smiled at her. "What is it, miss?"  
  
"May I please ask for three glasses of water?"  
  
"Certainly." He went into the kitchen and after several seconds, he came back with three glasses of cold water placed on a metal tray.  
  
"Here, I'll take it." Kaoru offered, taking the tray from the waiter. She began turning around but she suddenly collided into someone and she lost her balance.  
  
"HEY!" She lost grasp of the tray and it clattered to the floor and the glasses broke.  
  
"Weren't you watching where you're going?" She asked, rubbing her hip. Her eyes widened when she saw a glint of red.  
  
The man had scrambled up and had held his hand out to her. "Sorry, my fault."  
  
She took his hand and stood up herself. She recognized him as the redhead from Table V. She looked down and saw the broken glasses. She sighed, annoyed. "Oh, great… " She muttered. She stooped down and picked the broken pieces one by one and placed them on the metal tray.  
  
The redhead bent down himself and helped. "Sorry, I wasn't aware that you were in front of me. I'll pay for the damage, miss."  
  
By now, two waiters were already helping them pick up the broken glass pieces. "It's okay, miss, sir. We'll handle it." The waiter was saying.  
  
Kaoru felt like all eyes were on her. She and the man stood up. "I'm sorry. Here take this." The auburn-haired guy handed a few dollars to the waiter. "And please give the lady another three glasses of water."  
  
The waiter nodded. "I will serve them with what you ordered, miss." Then he left for the kitchen.  
  
"Sorry for the trouble." He was saying.  
  
That's when Kaoru realized he had amazing amethyst eyes. She forced herself to look away. "No harm done. Anyway, thanks for… um… that…" Kaoru stammered, blushing lightly.  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
She smiled at him and began walking towards her table while the redhead turned around and entered the men's restroom. She sat down and took a deep breath.  
  
Yahiko looked at her, left eyebrow raised. "You okay, Kaoru?"  
  
She sighed. "Yeah."  
  
Misao giggled. "Nice move!" She managed to say.  
  
"Quit it, Misao." Kaoru said, then she giggled.  
  
"So… isn't he gorgeous?" Misao asked, resting her elbows on the table and setting her chin on the back of her hands.  
  
Kaoru shrugged. "I think." Then she smiled secretly.  
  
@@@  
  
Kenshin supported his weight on the tiled sink. *She's extremely beautiful. I've never felt like this before. *  
  
He had decided to go to the men's restroom. While walking quickly towards the restroom, he had looked down to his shoes and had realized it was dirty, suddenly remembering that Sano 'accidentally' stepped on it this morning.  
  
He had suddenly crashed into someone and fell down to the floor face first. "ORORORO!" was all he could muster. He heard a woman shout and the sound of glasses breaking. When he saw her sapphire eyes, he couldn't bear to take his gaze away from them.  
  
She seemed so familiar, yet he was sure he hadn't seen her before. Her expression was innocent, yet there was a teasing smile forming on her lips.  
  
*Maybe it was just my imagination. * Kenshin sighed, then, washed his hands, letting the cool water from the metal faucet run through his fingers. When he helped her up, the touch of her hand seemed so… familiar. *Where did I meet her? When did I meet her? *  
  
He ran his hand through his hair and sighed deeply.  
  
Suddenly, a hand settled on his right shoulder. "HUH?!" Kenshin jumped back slightly in surprise. The hand jerked away from his shoulder.  
  
A man he had never met before was at his back, looking at him tentatively. "Uh, any problem, handsome?" The man winked at him.  
  
"Uh, yeah… uh, gotta go!" Kenshin turned the faucet off and virtually fled out of the restroom. He began to walk rapidly back to their table. He sat down apprehensively.  
  
"What was that all about, Kenshin? I see you're beginning to learn how to make a move on… hot babes. I told you. Just listen to what I teach you." Sano gave him a thumbs-up.  
  
Kenshin ignored Sano's remark. "Some gay made a move on me in the restroom, though."  
  
Sano burst out laughing. Aoshi's expression didn't change. He just turned his head to look into Kenshin's direction.  
  
Seconds later, the waiter arrived with three plates of beefsteaks and three glasses. Kenshin sighed and began eating his steak slowly.  
  
@@@  
  
Kaoru gazed into Table V's direction. She stared at the auburn- haired guy who was slowly eating his steak. She had to admit… he's gorgeous. His hair was tied up into a tight ponytail. He's wearing a navy blue polo shirt with the first two buttons unfastened at the top and black loose pants. *Oh, stupid! I don't even know his name! *  
  
Misao nudged her on the ribs. She was jolted out of her reverie. "You're daydreaming, girl."  
  
"Oh, sorry." She looked out the glass window.  
  
"Man! Where's that waiter?" Yahiko crossed his arm before his chest and furrowed his eyebrows impatiently. Suddenly, the waiter arrived with their food. "Man! I thought it'd take forever!" Yahiko muttered under his breath.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir." The waiter said with confidence, smiling slightly at Yahiko as he set the dishes on the table. Then he left.  
  
"Let's eat everybody!" Yahiko said energetically. He rolled the pasta into his fork and began shoving the fork into his mouth.  
  
"KAORU!" Somebody called from across the room. Yahiko's fork froze halfway to his mouth. All three looked up. Kenshin and Sano turned around themselves to see who called and whom the caller was referring to.  
  
Kaoru's and Misao's eyes widened in surprise as the person began walking towards their table.  
  
TBC  
  
Author's notes: Hi. Chapter I is finished. I'm really glad I was able to finish this. I hope you guys liked it. This is only my third fic; I just wanna know if I made any improvement in writing. Anyways, I still love all of you guys.  
  
Until next time. AISHITERU!  
  
  
  
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'LL BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.  
  
lieveit1 '^-^ 


	2. Unpredictable Measures

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters. They rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. Please don't sue or condemn me. I write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.  
  
Author's greetings: Hello. Have you reviewed Chapter I? Hope you did. Thanks for all those guys who reviewed. Anyway, this fic has something to do with white slavery. And… uh... I changed the summary cuz it actually leads some readers off the course. Now, please read on and enjoy.  
  
WARNING: AU and may contain some OOCness.  
  
Rating: PG (though ratings may fluctuate as story unfolds)  
  
Love Me As Who I Really Am  
  
Chapter II: Unpredictable Measures  
  
"KAORU!" Somebody called from across the room. The caller began approaching Table XI. "MISAO!"  
  
Misao stood up happily. "Sou-chan!" She waited for Soujiro to reach their table.  
  
"How are you guys?" Soujiro greeted them as Misao wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on his right cheek.  
  
"Feelin' great!" Yahiko responded, then shoved a french-fry into his mouth.  
  
"Hi, Sou-chan. We're having lunch. Join us…" Kaoru motioned him to sit on the empty chair beside Misao. "So, what we're you doing here?"  
  
"I was in the neighborhood." He answered, sitting beside Misao and grabbing a handful of french-fries from Misao's plate, munching happily.  
  
"Hey! Misao, if you won't eat your fries, give 'em to me!" Yahiko grabbed Misao's plate of french-fries, sliding her plate beside his own. Soujiro chuckled in amusement.  
  
"Give that back to me!" Misao screeched at him, taking her plate away from him. "Be contented with your own french-fries."  
  
Yahiko glared at her, shoving french-fry after french-fry into his mouth in succession.  
  
Finally, Soujiro faced Kaoru. He jerked his head to Yahiko's direction. "Did you tell him?"  
  
Yahiko looked up. "Tell me what?"  
  
"Not yet." Kaoru sighed sadly.  
  
Yahiko looked around the table, his face a total picture of confusion. "What are you guys talking about? Kaoru, what are you talking about? What are you supposed to tell me?"  
  
Kaoru smiled at him falsely. "Nothing… I just wanted to tell you I'd be continuing college…"  
  
Yahiko stared at her. "That's not it… tell me what it REALLY is!"  
  
"Yahiko, it's nothing, really…"  
  
"Tell me what it is!" Yahiko watched her face angrily, trying to read her mind.  
  
Misao and Soujiro looked down helplessly. Kaoru sighed weakly. "I… I was hired at a nightclub as a…" Kaoru let her voice trail, knowing that Yahiko had understood clearly what she's going to say.  
  
Yahiko shook his head. He chuckled softly. "You're playing, right? Okay, game's over. Quit playing. What were you really supposed to tell me?" He looked expectantly at his sister.  
  
He saw her look down to her lap. That's when he realized that what she had said was entirely the truth. He stood up from his chair angrily and stomped out of the restaurant, leaving the threesome behind feeling very guilty.  
  
"Thanks a lot for spilling the beans, Sou-chan." Kaoru said to Soujiro sarcastically. She frowned at him.  
  
Soujiro looked up. "So sorry, Kaoru. I didn't mean to. I thought you had filled him in already…"  
  
Kaoru sighed helplessly. "Yahiko definitely doesn't want me to do what I had decided on doing. What do you think should I do?" She rested her chin on the back of her hands.  
  
"Just tell the club's boss who hired you that you quit." Soujiro suggested, throwing his hands up in exaggeration.  
  
"What a great idea!" Misao said, perking up.  
  
"How am I supposed to survive here in Los Angeles if I don't have a job?" Kaoru asked them, right eyebrow raised.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll take care of that…" Soujiro said mysteriously, plopping his elbows on the table.  
  
The two girls stared at him. "Just assure me you can help me." Kaoru said.  
  
Finally, Misao stood up. "Well, I suppose we must get going now. Now the only problem, however, is how to make Yahiko understand the situation. Let's go. Hey, waiter! Check please!"  
  
@@@  
  
"What is she thinking?!" Yahiko kicked the empty soda can in front of him as he walked towards their apartment. He had his skateboard tucked under his arm and he was looking down the boardwalk. Literally, he wasn't looking where he was going. Strangely, he just wasn't in the mood to skateboard. *My sister… wants to be a prostitute. *  
  
"Yahiko…" A sweet voice called out to him.  
  
He turned around and smiled. "Hi, Tsubame. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing. I just saw spiky hair when I turned the corner and so I was sure it was you." She told him, falling into a step beside him.  
  
"So, I had a trademark." Yahiko said, rolling his eyes. "Is that how you recognize me when I have my back on you?" He asked her.  
  
She laughed, covering her mouth. "Sometimes…"  
  
Yahiko fell silent all of a sudden. He began walking faster. Tsubame had to jog beside him to catch up. "Any problem, Yahiko?" She asked him.  
  
"Huh? No problem at all. Why should I have any problem?" He said, quickening his pace.  
  
Now, Tsubame had to really run to catch up with him. "Tell me, Yahiko." She said, panting.  
  
Yahiko suddenly stopped on his tracks. He looked like he saw a ghost. Tsubame stopped running and peered into his face.  
  
"Yahiko, what suddenly caught your eye?" She followed his gaze, then gasped at what she saw.  
  
@@@  
  
"TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" Kaoru yelled at the guy grasping her wrist. "Don't you understand? I said I QUIT!"  
  
The burly man tightened his grasp on Kaoru's right wrist. "But you haven't started working yet! Come on, my precious sapphire, when my frequent customers see you, they'll be stunned!" The man pulled Kaoru close to his chest.  
  
"Hey!" Somebody shouted. Yahiko and Tsubame ran towards the guy and Kaoru. "Let my sister go!" Yahiko shouted one more time.  
  
"Didn't you hear the lady and her brother?" Soujiro asked him calmly, a smile forming on his lips. "They were asking you to take your hands off her." Soujiro ran towards him and punched him hard on the nose.  
  
Venous blood surged out of the man's nose. He released his hold on Kaoru as his hand jerked up to cover his nose. Kaoru ran towards Misao and hugged the younger girl in dread. Yahiko stepped in front of the three girls like as if he's protecting them.  
  
"Damn you… " The man was saying, looking up at Soujiro in visible anger. His look shifted on Kaoru.  
  
"Please, Ryu. I'm quitting." Kaoru looked at him pleadingly.  
  
Ryu stood up straight and stared at her, annoyed. "What made you want to quit, sapphy?"  
  
"Sapphy?!" Misao asked unbelievingly, loosening her embrace on Kaoru. "You call this girl sapphy?" She looked at Kaoru. "Hey! In case you don't know, this girl's name is KAORU, and not SAPPHY!"  
  
Ryu glared at Misao. "You have no business in this, woman." Blood was still running down his nose.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Yahiko cut in. "Who are you, anyway?!" He gave the burly man a challenging stare.  
  
Ryu smirked at Yahiko. "For a little boy, you're quite cocky." He crossed his arms across his chest, looking at Yahiko in a sickening way.  
  
Yahiko had an urge to punch the guy right in the nose once again but he just can't bear to add any more problems. "Yeah? Well, you've got an attitude problem. Your mom needs to straighten it up." He said, sticking his chin out at Ryu.  
  
Soujiro smiled down at the young boy. "Good for you."  
  
Ryu sighed mockingly, throwing his hands up in mock exhaustion. "Fine. You guys win. My name's Ryu Ban, but people call me Ryu." He looked around the small crowd that had gathered around them. "I suggest we enter my domain to talk about… things."  
  
"Hey! What's going on here? Are you having a fight or what? You better stop now or else someone's gonna call the police." One man said from the crowd.  
  
Soujiro laughed nervously. "It's really nothing! We'll just talk about some things with this guy." He motioned towards Ryu as he walked towards him.  
  
The people began whispering to each other that nothing's wrong and began to leave one by one.  
  
Once everyone around them had left, Ryu motioned them to follow him.  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
Author's notes: Hi. Sorry about Chapter I. Once again, I wanna remind you I edited it especially the grammar… I think. It's because when I typed it, my stress-level was unusually high. I think some other author had a character named Ryu but I added the Ban to make it more original. Tell me if what I think is right. And tell me if someone had a similar fic.  
  
Thanks for the guys who reviewed:  
  
MARSTANUKI: I have changed the summary. And if I let Kaoru have anyone touch her body, then she won't be as chaste as some people prefer her to be.  
  
I hoped you enjoyed this fic. Tell me what you think. Please review. Thanks. Aishiteru.  
  
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'D BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.  
  
lieveit1 '^-^' 


	3. Secrets Now Told

Disclaimer: I confess I don't own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters for they rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. I have issued my affidavit so please don't sue me. I am very poor (and young) and cannot afford a lawyer. I write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.  
  
Author's greetings: When I noted Chapter II, I said I edited Chapter I. Sorry, guys, I wasn't able to do so, so I'm sure those guys that went back and read it once again were confused. Sorry.  
  
A reviewer said that Kaoru's reason of survival was not so believable, so in this chapter, you're gonna find out why Kaoru had to be a prostitute, and work for this Ryu guy. Anyway, I'm not gonna give you any spoilers so if you want to find out, read on… and enjoy.  
  
WARNING: AU and may contain OOCness.  
  
Rating: PG-13 (though ratings may fluctuate as story progress)  
  
Love Me As Who I Really Am  
  
Chapter III: Secrets Now Told  
  
Once the small crowd around them had left and everyone was minding their own business, Ryu motioned them to follow him.  
  
The three girls and Yahiko were quite reluctant to do so, but Soujiro followed Ryu as he crossed the street on a red light. Therefore, the other four walked slowly behind the two men.  
  
*Wait a minute… where heading towards the direction of Oishii Cuisine. * Yahiko thought. He glanced briefly at Kaoru's face to see if she was unsure of what they were doing. She was. Apparently, she had no idea where they were headed. She was just walking beside Misao, clutching her shoulder bag nervously in one hand, and the other was grasping her best friend's hand.  
  
Suddenly, she let go of Misao's hand and stopped walking. She kneeled down beside Tsubame who had stopped walking herself. Ryu and Soujiro turned around.  
  
"Tsubame, darling, I think you should better go back home now." She was telling the little girl.  
  
"But…" Tsubame protested.  
  
Kaoru placed a finger on the girl's lips to silence her. "This is my problem. I solve this on my own." She removed her finger from the girl's lips and stood up. "Besides, your Aunt Tae might be looking for you."  
  
"Oh gosh!" Tsubame exclaimed, both her hands went up to her cheeks. "You're right! Auntie told me to be home by twelve o'clock! Look at the time! It's already half past one! Kaoru, I have to go." She turned around and began to run to the opposite direction. "Bye, Yahiko!"  
  
"Bye." Yahiko said softly.  
  
"Quit the drama." Ryu's gruff voice said as he continued walking. "I shouldn't have left the car back there at the club's parking lot if I knew you were gonna run from me when I saw you walking out of that restaurant, sapphy." He pointed across the street to Oishii Cuisine.  
  
Misao gnashed her teeth in anger. *How dare he call my best friend sapphy! Who does he think he is? Some god who can just make up everybody's name? *  
  
She turned her head to the side and examined her best friend's face. She can see the anger forming in the older girl's face, and she knew that her friend was irritated with the usual endearment of the sturdy man. "Ryu, it would be better if you call me by my real name, which is Kaoru!" Kaoru scowled.  
  
Ryu waved the issue away, completely ignoring it. "Kaoru, Kuaur, Sapphy, whatever."  
  
Kaoru stared at Ryu's back irately, restraining herself from seizing the guy and killing him right there. Misao grabbed Kaoru's hand and held it gently on her own as a form of comfort.  
  
Kaoru gave her a grateful smile. Soujiro and Yahiko had continued walking after Ryu, so the girls ran slowly to catch up with the three males.  
  
Kaoru didn't know what she was doing, but as she rushed after the three guys, her head turned to the left and she saw the auburn-haired man through the restaurant's glass window, looking back at her and following her every move in daze.  
  
@@@  
  
Maybe Fate was just too romantic at the moment, but as Kenshin gazed out of the restaurant's window, a pair of sapphire eyes greeted him. He blinked two times to get used to their dazzling appearances, but when he got used to them, he found out that the owner of those sapphire eyes was none other but the stunning woman he had crashed into earlier that lunch.  
  
She was with her lady friend, the one with the braided hair, a young boy who just might be her brother and the young man who had arrived later during lunch. A muscular man was leading the group, but Kenshin didn't notice him quite that much.  
  
Kenshin had watched her every move ever since he crashed into her for it seemed like… he was heavily attracted to her since then. Minutes after her supposed-to-be younger brother stomped out of the restaurant, a disgusted look plastered on his face, she and her two other friends left.  
  
The hefty man leading the four had just caught Kenshin's attention wholly. His eyes narrowed. *That guy looks familiar… where did I see his face and build before? * Kenshin asked himself.  
  
He remembered that when the sapphire-eyed woman pushed the restaurant's door open, she stopped abruptly when she saw that same man cross the street, headed towards the three of them. Specifically, that same man was headed towards HER alone. That guy had a very pleased expression on his face, obviously happy to see her.  
  
The navy-eyed woman whispered something to her two friends, and then made a mad dash to the left with her male friend bumping into several people and the people cursing the three of them. Kenshin had shifted his attention to the hefty guy and he saw anger forming in the man's face as he ran after the three. Kenshin figured that the man probably caught up with the three of them for they never got a good head start, anyway. And for a heavily built person, the man chasing them can run faster than any of the three of them.  
  
Kenshin stood up, interrupting Sano's lively chatter. "Sano, Aoshi. Excuse me. I think I've got somewhere to go to."  
  
Sano looked up at him in surprise. "Why, Kenshin, was the steak overcooked?"  
  
"No, I'm just stuffed. And anyway, we've been here for one and a half hours already. Meet you later." Kenshin began walking towards the door, eyes still fixed on the group across the street that caught his attention. He pushed the door open.  
  
"But Kenshin! We haven't paid yet." Sano said, standing up. Kenshin can clearly hear him because Table V was situated close to the door.  
  
Kenshin exited. "Aoshi will take care of it." He answered coolly.  
  
Aoshi looked up but Kenshin was already running towards the opposite side of the street. So, therefore, Aoshi had no other choice but to pay for what they have eaten.  
  
Kenshin kept his distance from the group he was following, both hands in his pockets. Suddenly, the heavily built man who was leading the group turned and went down a wide staircase. It looked like it would lead to a subway but Kenshin was sure there's no subway in this area. The other four followed him down there.  
  
Once all five had gone down, Kenshin spied on them on top of the stairs. *This is getting weird. * Kenshin thought to himself as the burly man opened two red doors (it looks like this, just imagine it: ][ ) at the end of the stairs and motioned the four to enter. The first one to enter was the jolly young man, then the boy, then the girl with the long braided hair. The raven-haired lady was about to enter but the hefty guy gave her a malicious look so she stared right back, the hatred very visible on her face.  
  
Then he said something to her, probably something nasty because she stared at him in anger before finally entering. The man went in right after her, after looking up the staircase, but Kenshin was quick enough to dodge from his sight.  
  
*That stupid maniac! * Kenshin thought angrily. He went down the staircase and pushed one of the two doors open and was greeted by loud music. He walked in and looked around the dimly lit room. He saw women who had lack of clothing dancing erotically on mini stages which were scattered all over the spacious room and some men were seated on wide tables which were quite close to the mini stages. From a scale of one to ten, Sano would probably rate this place 9.9. It was indeed… first-class… world- class.  
  
Kenshin began searching for the group he was following around the room. He saw the back of that same heavily built man enter a door situated at the other end of the room.  
  
A waiter wearing a tuxedo with a towel on his arm approached Kenshin. "Welcome to the Seduction Hall, sir. Have you reserved a table?" The waiter was asking him.  
  
"No, I haven't. Anyway that's okay." Kenshin responded, not taking his eyes off the door the man entered to.  
  
"Would you like me to get you one? Are you here for some of our women?" The waiter gestured towards the women on the stages.  
  
"No." Kenshin answered him abruptly. "Anyway, I'm leaving." He began to pull one of the doors behind him open. Suddenly, he went numb. "What did you say? What do you call this place again?" Kenshin asked, not facing him.  
  
"The Seduction Hall, sir." The waiter answered.  
  
Kenshin continued on his way. "The Seduction Hall… right." Kenshin climb up the stairs and into the fresh air and sunlight. *Seduction Hall. * He thought, his eyes narrowing to such tiny slits. *I see… *  
  
@@@  
  
"Why don't you little people sit down?" Ryu motioned to a large sofa in front of his desk as he sat down on his chair behind it.  
  
Soujiro sat down with a jolly expression on his face, gesturing the three others to do the same. Yahiko sat down beside him, and Misao sat beside Yahiko. Kaoru was about to sit down when Ryu called her.  
  
"Sapphy, why are you sitting there?" He asked her with a sad expression on his face. He patted his lap. "Come sit here."  
  
Kaoru glared at him. Misao clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth in anger. She tugged on Kaoru's black top. "Sit down here beside me." She said softly to the older girl.  
  
Kaoru glared one more time at Ryu before sitting beside her best friend.  
  
Ryu heaved a sigh. "You've changed so much, sapphy. What made you change?"  
  
Yahiko couldn't take it anymore. "Hey! If you can't call my sister by her real name, why don't you just leave her be?!"  
  
"Because she owes me a lot." Ryu said, lighting a cigarette.  
  
Kaoru sneered at him. "Yeah, right."  
  
Soujiro's expression turned serious, much to the surprise of his friends. "She owes you big time? That sounds unbelievable, Ryu Ban." He said, fixing his eyes on the larger man's face.  
  
Ryu exhaled some smoke out of his mouth. "Why would it sound unbelievable… Major Seta?" Ryu looked at Soujiro straight in the eye.  
  
Misao glanced at Soujiro, bewildered. "Major Seta? Wha—what in the world is he talking about, Sou-chan? How in the world did he know your name?"  
  
Soujiro's face remained blank. Kaoru's and Yahiko's faces were pictures of confusion and Misao was peering intently into Soujiro's face.  
  
Ryu smirked. "Did I spill another variety of beans, Seta?"  
  
Kaoru glanced at Ryu, then at Soujiro. *How in the world did he know Sou-chan's name? Have they met before? And what's with the 'Major'? *  
  
Yahiko stood up and yelled at Soujiro. "Why the hell does this guy know you? And what's with the Major Seta thingy?"  
  
Soujiro didn't answer. His blazing eyes were just fixed on Ryu.  
  
"Sou-chan!" Misao yelled uncontrollably.  
  
"Ryu Ban was reported to be the boss of the biggest syndicate in the state, known to smuggle drugs in and outside the country. Some witnesses said that their latest scheme was to recruit women to the Middle East and use them for white slavery." Soujiro finally explained.  
  
The three stared at Soujiro unbelievingly. Kaoru herself went pale. She turned her head and looked at Ryu. She covered her mouth with her left hand. "I had no idea… I was so stupid… I shouldn't have trusted you the first time I met you…" She mumbled through her hand.  
  
But Yahiko couldn't understand. "Maybe that makes sense… but how could you know such things? And why did he call you Major Seta?"  
  
"Ooops. Didn't you tell them you were from the L.A.P.D., Seta?" Ryu said in an innocent tone, then shrugged.  
  
"L.A.P.D.?" Misao stared at Soujiro, the hurt very visible on her face. "Is that why you broke up with me last year, only two months after we got our relationship started? Is that it?"  
  
Soujiro nodded then looked at her. "I don't wanna hurt you. When I asked you to be my girl, I knew I wouldn't be able to spend time with you. I tried to live with running from the station to your house for two months but realized that I've made a mistake. After five years in the police force, I've realized that I cannot spend much time with those I care for so much. So I wanted you to find someone else who can give his time to you."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were with the police?" She asked him, searching for the answer on his face.  
  
"Misao, I know you. You never liked the police since we were children because of what they did to your dad when you were five. They put him in prison because of a false accusation, remember? That's why he lost his job and opened his own business." Soujiro tried making her understand.  
  
Misao bowed her head. "I understand."  
  
"And so when Kaoru told us two days ago about her decision to work in this club and mentioned that the guy she'd be working for is called Ryu Ban, I got suspicious." He shifted his attention on Ryu. "Now I've got evidence that you do have illegal dealings in and outside this country."  
  
Ryu placed his cigarette on the ashtray. "Don't think you've got me all figured out, Seta. Five years ago, I met sapphy in a café; she was working there as a waitress. An odd job for someone as young as her." He lit another cigarette. "We talked. That's when I found out that she does not go to school anymore. I offered to help her, but I said I MIGHT ask for something in return." He stared at Kaoru. "I lent her a LOT of money, and all this time she hadn't paid me back yet. Now she had to work for me and pay me with the money she'll be able to earn."  
  
"That's a lie! A big fat lie!" Yahiko shouted at Ryu heatedly. *How could I think of my sister as a dirty slut! She never actually wanted to be a dirty slut. This guy is just blackmailing her! *  
  
Ryu completely ignored the young boy. "Of course she had no idea that I run this club, but what the heck? The money I lent her actually went to her schooling, and I deposited the remainder into a bank, which soon went to her brother's schooling."  
  
Yahiko gasped. *My schooling… came from this nut head? *  
  
Misao turned her head and looked at her best friend. Kaoru had her head bent down and her arms were folded across her chest. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Dad?" Misao asked the older girl.  
  
"I knew Okina had a hard time sending you to school, Misao. What he earned from your pizza house was meager; sending two other kids to school would be too much for him." Kaoru responded softly.  
  
"And so you lied to us? You said that your parents had some money in some unknown bank. Honestly, Kaoru, I got suspicious, and the money you got was a real mystery. You were able to send Yahiko and yourself to school and you were able to buy both of your school supplies all by yourself. How was I supposed to know that you got it from a dirty man?" Misao felt her voice catch a little.  
  
"By the time Okina's pizza house got popular and money began pouring in, it was already too late. Ryu said he needed the money I owe him quick, or else…" Kaoru swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.  
  
"Or else what? What?" Tears welled up in Misao's eyes.  
  
"He threatened that if I don't give him the money after six months… he's gonna… he's gonna have to hurt…" Kaoru looked into Yahiko's direction with an impassive look on her face, but everybody can see the hurt that she was trying to hide.  
  
Yahiko stared at his sister, shaking his head from left to right in disbelief. "That's not true…" Yahiko can't believe this is happening. Now he saw how much sacrifice Kaoru is willing to undergo… just for him. *They're using me as bait. They're using me as bait. *  
  
"Actually, it's true." Ryu said, exhaling a puff of smoke. "So you can't say I'm RECRUITING women, Seta. Sapphy is indebted to me, and she just have to pay me back. It's just pure business." He made it sound like it was no big deal for a woman to become a prostitute.  
  
"What about the women dancing outside? Aren't they enough evidence? Are you gonna recruit them too?" Soujiro asked him.  
  
"What do you mean? Those women came here on their own free will. Most of them weren't able to finish school and have no other means to support themselves." Ryu clarified. "They're just… NASTY."  
  
"How much does Kaoru owe you?" Misao asked him, eyes blazing.  
  
"Not much. Just thousands of dollars." Ryu said knowingly, crushing the cigarette on the ashtray.  
  
"Tell me how much it is!" Misao screamed at him angrily, then stood up with a challenging aura.  
  
Kaoru rolled her eyes. "Misao, quit screaming your lungs out."  
  
Misao glared at her best friend.  
  
Ryu took a piece of paper and a ball pen from his desk drawer and wrote some numbers on it. Then he tossed it at Misao's direction. It flew and landed on the floor in front of her. She stooped down and read the amount.  
  
"You pig… when you lent this amount to Kaoru, you knew it would take her a long time to pay you back. Just admit that you were really targeting to make her one of your sluts!" She shouted angrily, looking at Ryu in disgust. She folded the paper then tore it four times. Then she took a few steps towards Ryu's desk.  
  
Ryu looked at her.  
  
She threw the torn pieces of paper at his face. "You deserved it. I really wondered why my skin crawled the first time I saw you. Now I know the answer." Misao turned around without taking her eyes off the man. "We'll make you pay someday." Then she exited the room.  
  
Yahiko stood up himself and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Didn't your mom teach you how to respect women? I suppose not. You know why? 'Cuz you're a dirty pervert, that's why!" He followed Misao out of the room.  
  
"Right now, I will let you be. But if you do anything to Kaoru, you're in for it." Soujiro stood up and motioned Kaoru to get up herself.  
  
Kaoru and Soujiro were only a few steps from the door when they heard Ryu speaking. "Sapphy, you better be here tonight. If not, I promise you, I'll do what I said before."  
  
Kaoru glared at him. Then she smiled falsely in disgust. "I'll be here, tonight. But after I get the money, either by working here or somewhere else, I swear, I'll make you pay."  
  
"That sounds fine. And by the way, Seta." Ryu addressed Soujiro. "You're not actually that welcomed here in the club, so I suggest that you don't return here any more. You're not even welcomed to come here for my women. You know, those sexy ones outside."  
  
Soujiro's jolly smile came back. "Thanks, but I'm not interested anyway."  
  
Kaoru turned around and exited the room with Soujiro behind her.  
  
The last thing she heard from Ryu before Soujiro closed the door behind him was, "You better look sexy tonight, sapphy!"  
  
Kaoru heaved a heavy sigh, trying to restrain herself from entering the room once again and kill the guy. Soujiro patted her shoulder. "Don't mind him. I'm sorry. I thought I could help you. But half of what he said was right. You need to pay him back. But don't worry. We'll find enough evidence against him. But you've got to help me prove that he's doing something against the law here. And you'll be free. I promise you that. "  
  
Kaoru just nodded. "I hope so. I just hope so."  
  
Soujiro chuckled. "Let's go out. I better escort you and Yahiko home now. Then I'll bring Misao to her house. I also need to get back to the work anyway."  
  
They began walking towards the exit.  
  
"Pretty woman, walking down the aisle, pretty woman…" Some men in one table were singing. They held their glasses of wine up to Kaoru, smiling at her.  
  
Kaoru growled at them, irritated.  
  
Soujiro's smile widened. "Stupid drunkards, sitting on a table, retarded perverts…" Soujiro began singing, beating his arms like a maestro as Kaoru and him continued walking.  
  
Kaoru giggled.  
  
The youngest of the men stood up, challenging Soujiro. His cheeks were red from too much alcohol and his white shirt was already stained. He hated being humiliated, especially in front of women. "Hey! Watch your mouth, kid!" He was saying, trying to let everyone hear.  
  
The loud music stopped. The women stopped dancing erotically on the mini stages. Every one looked into their direction, excited of what will happen next.  
  
"We're not here to quarrel, gentlemen." Soujiro said, closing his eyes in amusement. He opened one of the exit doors for Kaoru and motioned her to step out. The challenging man sat down once again on his chair with some encouragement from his companions to just let it pass.  
  
Kaoru walked up the stairs as Soujiro followed close behind her after letting the door close by itself.  
  
They found Misao and Yahiko at the top. "Man! What took you so long?" Yahiko asked the two of them, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"We had some… simple misunderstandings inside." Soujiro explained smilingly.  
  
"Simple is right." Kaoru muttered, flipping her long black hair behind her back.  
  
Misao had her back on the three of them and was standing two feet away from them. Kaoru approached her and placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder.  
  
Then she gasped. Misao's shoulders were moving up and down unnoticeably; you can only feel it if you touched her shoulders. Misao's hair covered her face.  
  
"Misao, are you okay?" Kaoru asked, peering intently into the younger girl's face.  
  
Misao looked up into the older girl with a tear-stricken face. Kaoru's expression softened. She pulled the younger girl close to her and hugged her.  
  
Passers-by began looking at them with this unusual look on their faces, probably wondering what family tragedy happened and if they'll be hearing about it in the TV.  
  
"I can't… I don't want you to be… try not to be…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks slowly.  
  
Yahiko looked down. Soujiro placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'll try not to be. I won't go with dirty-looking men, Misao. I promise you that." Kaoru told her.  
  
Misao broke away from her and wiped her tears away. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah!" Kaoru responded energetically. "You know, I'm a good judge of character!"  
  
Misao sighed heavily. "That's what I'm afraid about."  
  
Kaoru frowned at her then laughed heartily.  
  
Soujiro stepped forward. "Well, I better escort Kaoru and Yahiko back to their flat now. And after that I'll take you home, Misao. And then I'm gonna run to the station and finish some unfinished work." Then he froze. *Oops… bad choice of words… *  
  
He turned his head slowly and looked at Misao. He smiled weakly. "Mi… sao…"  
  
Misao was looking at him with this mischievous look on her face. "I just can't believe that I'd find out secrets that have been kept from me today. Don't you think so, Sou-chan?" She looked at him, eyes twinkling. "YOU'RE BUSTED! GET READY TO BE POUNCED UPON!"  
  
"Oh boy!" Soujiro began running.  
  
"Hey, come back here, Sou-chan! I won't eat you!" Misao ran after him.  
  
Yahiko exhaled deeply. "Here we go! Wild goose chase, coming right up!" Yahiko hopped on his skateboard and skated after the cat and the mouse.  
  
Kaoru chuckled. She began taking a few steps forward. Suddenly, she looked across the street.  
  
She saw that same auburn-haired guy from the restaurant. He was leaning on a cement post, with one leg in front of the other one. He had his arms folded across his chest and he was looking at her intently.  
  
Kaoru smiled at him. He smiled back. *What an adoring smile! * Kaoru thought. Her smile widened. Suddenly, the guy crossed the street. In a minute, he was right beside her. Kaoru's heart gave a leap. It began beating furiously.  
  
The first thing she saw, aside from the red hair, was a cross-scar on his left cheek. She wanted to reach out and caress it. But she was just too embarrassed to do that… yet. This is, after all, just their second meeting.  
  
"Hi." He greeted her.  
  
"Hi." She responded.  
  
"You have a friend in there?" He jerked his head down the stairs.  
  
Kaoru looked down the stairs and stared at the red doors at the bottom. Then she looked at him. Her heart sank. "Excuse me?"  
  
The man looked away. "Never mind… I was so insensitive to ask."  
  
"I work in there." She answered abruptly… and bravely.  
  
The man looked at her, eyes wide… with shock? He recovered quickly. "You still remember me?"  
  
Kaoru chuckled. "Of course! I crashed into you at the restaurant." She replied, smiling at the thought.  
  
"By the way, I'm Kenshin Himura." He reached his hand out to her.  
  
"Kaoru Kamiya's my name." She answered, taking his hand and shaking it. Suddenly, the temperature became ninety-five degrees hot.  
  
@@@  
  
Electric jolts shot throughout Kenshin's body. He let go of her hand.  
  
"Nice meeting you." He told her, grinning.  
  
"Same here." She answered, smiling prettily.  
  
His expression became serious. "So, who runs this place?" He asked casually.  
  
*For a first formal meeting, he's quite straightforward; he makes known what really interests him. * Kaoru thought.  
  
She smiled at him. "He's called Ryu Ban."  
  
"Ryu Ban…" His eyes blazed with fury, just the way Sou-chan's eyes did when he saw Ryu. Then his expression softened. "Did you enter this club of your own free will, Ms. Kamiya?" He asked her, hoping that she won't think that he's prying into her private life… and getting a hold of her secrets.  
  
Kaoru laughed pleasantly. "Well, I owe him a lot so I have to pay him back." She answered. She can't believe she was actually talking to this guy easily about everything. It's as if she had known him for… forever.  
  
"I see…"  
  
"Hey, Kaoru! Are you coming?" Yahiko shouted out to her. Soujiro, Misao and Yahiko were several feet away from her; with Misao suffocating Soujiro with both her arms around his neck and Yahiko was beating Soujiro with his skateboard.  
  
"Coming!" She shouted back. "Mr. Himura, I've got to go now. Nice meeting you!"  
  
He nodded at her.  
  
Kaoru ran to catch up with her friends and they began walking slowly back home.  
  
"Kaoru… Kamiya." He smiled gradually. *Hey wait a minute! That young man she's with! I think he's from the L.A.P.D.! * Kenshin turned around and began walking towards the police department. *I saw his picture once on some files I was looking into when we had background investigations on police officers in this area. * Kenshin furrowed his eyebrows in concentration. *Kaoru Kamiya… who are you really? *  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
Author's notes: Whew… *wipes sweat from forehead* Chapter III is finished. I had a very hard time typing this fic, you guys. I'm trying to please all of you; side; and I'm trying to make you guys understand the… er… plot. Anyway, thanks for those guys who reviewed. Tell me if you now understand what I'm writing about.  
  
I think Kenshin knew lots of things in this fic… oh yeah! It's cuz he's from the FBI, stupid me! And I placed the first name first and last name last. I'm not using the Japanese way. They're in L.A., after all, ne?  
  
Hey! I saw a close-up picture of Enishi the other day, and well, as I've read from Ms. Midori's bio, I agree with her that Enishi's kinda, well… gorgeous. Still… Kenshin rulez! Please review. Tell me what you think. School just started three days ago, so my stress level is still as high like before, no… double high as before. So because it's already school time, I won't be able to update as often as possible. Every other week, I guess. Anyway, aishiteru! Ganbarimasu!  
  
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'D BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.  
  
lieveit1 '^-^' 


	4. A Promise To Keep

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters for they all rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei so don't sue me. I write this kind of stuff for entertainment purposes only.

Author's greetings: I read the reviews… and I saw you guys didn't like Chapter II that much. Did you guys feel that WAFF deprived? Fine, you all win. I once again changed the summary (hope no one gets annoyed with the sudden changes; blame my crazy side) cuz I decided that I really do want Kaoru to be a prostitute… BWAHAHAHA!! No, I mean, I'd like her to be a prostitute in a good way. So now just read on and enjoy! Review after you do!

Rating: PG (though ratings might fluctuate as story progresses)

WARNING: This is AU and may contain OOCness. Somebody asked that I try not to make the characters that OOC. I'm so sorry, but I can't continue the story if I do that… but I'll try my best to remove their OOCness in some chapters, okay? But in my other fic: Second Chance, lotsa people said it was kinda good cuz it ain't that OOC. Please check it out. ^-^

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter IV: A Promise To Keep 

"It had been a rough afternoon…" Soujiro sighed as he sat down on his desk. He had just escorted Misao to her house after he brought Yahiko and Kaoru to their flat, and basically, he was really tired. He began opening folders one after the other, not even bothering to read the contents of each. *Ryu Ban… you pervert. *

His fists clenched with anger as he gritted his teeth in rage. What happened that afternoon was way out of plan. *I was so stupid for not even asking Kaoru what was really going on… * 

He unclenched his fists as he began closing the folders he had just opened unknowingly. *What am I gonna do now? *

"SIR!" Somebody called. 

Soujiro looked up and smiled at the guy falsely. "What is it?"

"Somebody's lookin' for ya, sir." The guy informed him, and then he lowered his voice. "Some redhead with an x-scar on his cheek."

Soujiro raised an eyebrow in confusion, smile not fading. "Red hair… x-scar?" He stood up due to curiosity and motioned the guy to lead the way. 

The guy began walking out of the building and into the parking lot. Soujiro's really confused. 

"Wait…" He said.

The guy leading him turned around. "Yes, sir?"

"Where is he, anyway?" Soujiro asked with a trace of impatience on his voice.

"Well, sir… he went inside," The guy jerked his thumb in the glass doors' direction, "and asked for Soujiro Seta, without even saying the Major, sir. When we said you're in your desk, he asked us to just lead ya out here in the parking lot. He said he's gonna be waitin' inside a black car." The man said, looking around the parking lot. "I think the only black sedan in this lot is that one." He pointed to a black car two cars away from them.

Soujiro patted the man on the shoulder. "Go on inside and finish your job. I've got something to attend to." He said as he began walking towards the black sedan while the man turned around and entered the building. 

Soujiro stood outside the door of the passenger's seat. He heard a click from inside; therefore he opened the car's door and got in, closing the door as he sat. "What do you want?"

"You've seen Ryu Ban, haven't you?" The mysterious man asked straightforwardly.

Soujiro then saw a glint of red from the corner of his left eye. He turned his head to the left and stared at the face that greeted him. "YOU!"

Kenshin grinned approvingly at him. "You've got swift eyes for quickly recognizing me after only seeing me once."

"You're the guy who was talking to Kaoru when we went out of…" Soujiro's voice trailed as he remembered Kaoru's expression as she talked to this guy this afternoon, after they went up from THAT club. She had been so… happy.

"When you went out of the Seduction Hall. Yeah, that was me." Kenshin nodded at him. He reached down to his pants' right pocket and got a business card and handed it to Soujiro. Soujiro's eyes widened at what he read. 

"Kenshin Himura, FBI." Kenshin said coolly, extending his hand out to Soujiro. Soujiro took his hand and shook it tentatively. "Major Soujiro Seta, L.A.P.D." He looked at the older man curiously. "Are you interested in the Ryu Ban issue?" He asked.

"Been looking into it for years." Kenshin nodded, smiling slightly. "I don't believe the guy's story that those women just went there on their own free will. Some of his dancers underwent rehabilitation because of drugs… but Ryu Ban says he had nothing to do with it, and the women agreed. Some people said they had women relatives working in that club, but then after a few months, they found out they were nowhere to be found. And Ryu Ban claims they just left without letting him know." Kenshin took the business card from Soujiro and tore it into pieces.

Soujiro wasn't aware of what the other man was doing. "So… what's the problem now?"

"All we need are evidences … and witnesses." He watched the reaction that began building up in Soujiro's face.

Soujiro began opening his mouth to say something but Kenshin cut him off. "Is Ms. Kamiya working for Ryu Ban?"

Soujiro stared at the auburn-haired man. *What made Kaoru say this supposed-to-be secret to a man she had just met? * He asked himself.

"Yeah…" Soujiro answered slowly, at the same time warily.

"Why?" Kenshin pressed on.

Soujiro folded his arms across his chest and looked straight ahead. "Ask her." He suggested abruptly. 

Kenshin sat up straighter in the driver's seat as he rested his arms on the wheel. "What does she do?" He asked, determined. "Is she working as one of his dancers?"

"Worst than that." Soujiro replied. He turned his head and faced the auburn-haired man. "Prostitute." He mouthed.

Soujiro saw Kenshin's shoulders drop. He hid his smile from the older man. "I care for Kaoru a lot, Mr. Himura." He told him. "I don't want anything to happen to her. Assure me you can do something for her."

"I cannot promise you that. I have to gather enough evidence before finally finding Ryu Ban guilty of the accusations charged against him. Ms. Kamiya has to help too. She's the only one who can talk with the other females working in that club. But I can promise you one thing…" Kenshin exhaled deeply as Soujiro listened to him eagerly.

@@@

"I don't like the idea, Kaoru." Misao told Kaoru as the older girl closed the zipper of her black leather boots up to her knees. 

"I told you. I'm not going with dirty-looking guys." Kaoru explained. "Besides, I'll just sweet talk the guys I'll go with to give me the money in advance and when they fall asleep, I'll just run back here and sleep so that I can get to school early tomorrow morning."

Kaoru and Misao were in Kaoru's flat. It was actually six thirty in the evening and Kaoru still had one and a half hours to just linger around and get ready for 'work'. Two hours after Soujiro escorted her to her home, Misao had run back to Kaoru's small apartment to help the older girl get ready. They were able to ask – correction – command Yahiko to go out and get some Chinese food for the three of them.

"Sou-chan must be really disappointed. He was not able to help you." Misao stated softly, handing Kaoru her glossy red lipstick. 

"Yeah… I'm really sorry I didn't tell you before about Ryu, Misao. I just don't want you to… well… get worried." Kaoru looked at the younger girl from the mirror that hung on the wall. She spread the lipstick on her lower lip evenly, puckering her lips to complete the look.Kaoru turned around to show the younger girl what she had done to herself. "Well… how do I look?" She asked apprehensively, tugging on the blue backless top she had on.

Misao grinned in approval. "Perfect." And she wasn't lying. 

True, her best friend looked like a goddess that just flew down from the heavens and disguised herself as one of the little people on earth. Kaoru had on a navy-blue backless top with sleeves. Strings attached at the top and lower portions of the shirt, which were tied around her neck and waist, kept the shirt from falling down and revealing soft alabaster skin. A black leather mini-skirt accented her hips and boots that zipped up to her knees with three inches high heels completed the look. 

Misao's grin widened. "Though it would be better if the redhead could have seen you now."

Kaoru grabbed a pillow from her bed and threw it at Misao. "Don't talk about Kenshin that way!" She said defensively, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to form on her red lips.

Misao teased her even more. "Kenshin? Where did the usual honorific go? Are you two, like, that close, Kaoru?" Misao laughed really hard that she clutched her stomach.

Kaoru sat on her bed and watched the younger girl laugh. She had a vision of Misao rolling on the floor… and seconds later she saw herself rolling beside Misao too.

The vision made Kaoru giggle… but then seeing Misao laugh looked like so much fun that she could not hold back the laughter anymore so she began laughing herself.

Seconds later, Misao stopped laughing but the smile was still on her lips. She began taking deep breaths. "That's enough, Kaoru. You'll ruin your look if you continue laughing." She said to the older girl.

Kaoru tittered uncontrollably as she sat straightly on her bed, taking deep breaths. She reached into her handbag and brought out a brush and began brushing hair.

"That was some laugh!" Misao commented smilingly.

"Yeah…" Kaoru replied, chuckling in amusement. She placed the brush back inside her bag as she stood up. "Look, I have to go now."

Misao glanced at the wall clock. "But you're one hour and ten minutes early." 

"I wanna get to know some girls in the club. You know, befriend them." Kaoru explained, taking one last look in the mirror. "Tell Yahiko he can have my share of the food."

"Didn't you hear what Ryu said?" Misao asked Kaoru, eyes narrowing. "Those girls are just nasty."

"Does that mean I'm nasty?" Kaoru watched the younger girl lower her eyes to the floor. "Remember what Sou-chan said. Remember who Ryu really is."

"Fine. Be careful though. Bye." Misao said, smiling at Kaoru.

"Yeah… bye!" Kaoru went out of her door and began running down the stairs.

@@@

"Have you seen my perfume?" A scantily clad young woman stood in front of Kaoru. She looked like an Asian girl but her hair was dyed chocolate brown. "It was made in France; you must have seen it somewhere." The young woman continued asking her, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Kaoru looked up to her and smiled. "Sorry, I just came forty-five minutes ago and had been sitting here since then."

"Oh." The woman walked towards the dressing table and pulled the drawer open. "Here it is!" She said triumphantly, eyes twinkling. She walked back to Kaoru and handed the bottle of perfume to Kaoru. "May I ask you a favor?"

Kaoru stared at the bottle uncertainly, smelling the sweet scent that came from it. "Yeah? Sure."

The woman turned her back on Kaoru, bent down slightly, and lifted her long russet-colored hair. "Can you spray the perfume on the back of my neck?"

"Sure." Kaoru did you so, then handed the bottle back to the woman.

"Thanks." She said gratefully. She extended her right hand out to Kaoru. "By the way, my name's Angela."

Kaoru took her hand and shook it smilingly. "I'm Kaoru. Nice meeting you."

Angela smiled at her. "What do you do? Do you dance or do you go out?" She asked Kaoru simply.

"I go out." Kaoru replied, the sadness very visible in her eyes. "You?"

Angela grinned and shrugged. "I dance the night away." She waved her hand dismissively. "Are you really from around here?"

"Yeah." Kaoru responded guardedly. 

"Odd." Angela said softly, sitting beside Kaoru. "Some girls here came from other states or countries and the likes. I came from the Philippines myself."

Kaoru looked at her curiously. "Why would you look for a job so far away from home?"

"It's not that." Angela answered hesitantly, wondering whether she should go on or not. She decided to explain everything. "You see, my mom died because of tuberculosis and Dad got drunk almost every night. Then Mr. Ryu, who was probably taking a vacation, met and lent Dad some money because Dad lost everything we had because of his stupid gambling. Maybe because he missed mom so much; I remembered they loved each other very much…" 

Kaoru nodded. "Please continue…"

"And so Dad had to pay. Mr. Ryu said he does not necessarily need money. So Dad sent me to him as a form of payment. He brought me here to the States and it was a dream come true, I tell you. I'm a pretty good dancer, but I don't honestly like the way those dirty men are touching me when I dance." She paused for a while. "Mr. Ryu's weird, isn't he?" Angela asked Kaoru, chuckling nervously.

Kaoru's eyes narrowed to tiny slits. "Yeah… weird."

"By the way, we have to hurry up. I have to get on stage by eight o'clock sharp. And I think you should be doing you're work now, right?" The chocolate-haired girl questioned her, hoping to change the subject.

"Yeah, I think. Let's go." Kaoru and Angela stood up from their seats and began walking out of the dressing room.

@@@

Kenshin took another look around the club, trying to find the woman he was in search of. *Where is she? * Kenshin asked himself.

Kenshin had been sitting there at a table all by himself for half an hour already. He had persuaded Sano and Aoshi to let him go alone at the club and convinced them to finish their work so that tomorrow night, they'll be free. Aoshi had eyed at him suspiciously, but he trusted Kenshin so he agreed with the man. Sano wasn't that easy to deal with; there was a lot of arguing but at the end, Kenshin won and left Sano muttering that Kenshin wanted all the chicks to himself.

Just then, a door with a sign that says 'DRESSING ROOM' opened. A scantily clad young woman with long brown hair stepped out. She motioned whoever was inside the room to come out too. A lady with long raven hair and deep blue eyes came out behind her hesitantly.

Kenshin's purple eyes widened at what he saw. *She looks like a goddess. * He thought as he took another sip of his beer. The chocolate-haired woman walked towards an empty mini-stage, ignoring the dirty men trying to get a hold of her. 

Kaoru was just standing there at a corner, trying to act normal. But she was biting her lower lip, which showed how nervous she was. She began walking towards an unoccupied table three tables away. But an intoxicated guy in a stained white shirt grabbed her arm forcefully.

"Why don't you sit with us, babe?" The inebriated man said to Kaoru, forcing her to sit down on his lap. 

Kenshin stood up and walked towards them. His head was burning at the moment, and he was ready to kick some ass. 

Kaoru looked up and saw him. "Mr. Himura…" she said with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

Kenshin smiled at her. "I think the lady would want to come with me." He told the drunken man.

The man released Kaoru's arm, stood up and faced Kenshin squarely. "What if – hiccup!- she would want to sit –hiccup!- with me?" 

"She's coming with me." Kenshin responded bluntly.

"I think not!" The man said angrily, clenching his right fist and hurling it at Kenshin's direction.

The drunken man suddenly fell to the floor, right hand supporting himself on the table and the other hand, clutching his stomach in pain. Kenshin had punched him there and it left the man no time to counter attack.

"Like I said, the lady comes with me." Kenshin said coolly, wrapping his left arm around Kaoru's waist and leading her towards the elevator that was just behind the dressing room.

Kenshin stepped inside the elevator and so did Kaoru. The elevator door closed automatically and Kenshin pressed the button to the basement parking lot. 

He turned around and faced Kaoru. Kaoru backed away to the cold metal wall. Kenshin approached her with a serious look on his face. He supported half of his weight by placing his right hand on the metal wall just beside Kaoru's head. Kaoru inhaled nervously, bringing her right hand up to her chest in noticeable trepidation.

*What does he want? Did he… is he intending to buy my body? * Kaoru thought.

Kenshin removed his hand from the metal wall beside her head and placed both hands inside his pockets. He smiled at her adorably, closing his eyes at the same time. "Do you… are you wearing contact lenses, Ms. Kamiya?

Kaoru looked up at him in surprise. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"I was wondering whether the original color of your eyes was really blue." He asked innocently.

Kaoru was taken aback. When she recovered, she slapped his arm gently. "Of course they're blue!" She said smilingly.

"Okay… I get it… " He said, chuckling. "Well, I guess you're coming with me…"

"I suppose so…" Kaoru replied, looking down.

"Don't worry. I won't touch you. I'll explain when we get to my apartment." He replied inadvertently. 

"But…" Kaoru protested, eyes widening.

Kenshin chuckled. "I keep promises."

The elevator door opened automatically. Kenshin walked out and Kaoru followed right behind him. They began walking towards a black sedan. Kenshin removed a hand from his pocket and took out his keys. 

He opened the passenger's door and motioned Kaoru to get in the car. Kaoru exhaled a shaky breath and got inside the car timidly.

Once both of them had got in the car, Kenshin started the engine. "Are you comfortable, Ms. Kamiya?" He asked her, hoping to start a conversation.

Kaoru just nodded.

Kenshin sighed. *It's going to be a long evening… *

TBC

Author's notes: Okay, since a server of fanfiction.net malfunctioned, I was really depressed. I actually would like to edit all of my fanfictions (I've got three) but I wasn't able log in. Now I've updated and I hope you liked this chapter, though there's no WAFF or anything here. I reserved it all for the next chapter. Yeah… I mean the chapter following this one. 

And to my friend and classmate, Angela, thanks for letting me use your name. I'm gonna abuse it!!! BWAHAHAHA!!

I'm grateful to all those guys who reviewed. I'm hoping to get lots of reviews soon… tons of 'em. Anyway, I'm trying my best to entertain you all. That's all. Aishiteru. Please review, you guys. I had also updated my other fics: "SECOND CHANCE" and "TADAIMA".

Hotaru Yukishiro Tomoe: *blush* not really… thank you for the compliment. ^-^

Gypsy-chan: I e-mailed you… wonder if you got it… (?).

Tsuki-sama: You're never gonna catch me! *runs away with lightning speed*

To animegirl, spellhollow, someone, omochi, Glass Rose, nemo, Kamimura Kaoru, marstanuki, and all the others, thanks for reviewing!

I watched Tsuiko Hen (did I spell that right?) and I find it great! I mean… the killings made me scream my lungs out to the max! I like Battousai… and Tomoe and Kaoru. BWAHAHAHA!

REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW, I'D BE LOOKIN' FORWARD TO IT.

lieveit1 '^-^' 


	5. Getting To Know You

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and its characters for they rightfully belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki-sensei. I have issued my affidavit so don't sue me. I'm painfully young.  
  
Author's greetings: Hiya all! Sorry for not updating sooner. I guess it's already been two and a half months, ne? The past few months had been unbelievably busy. So forgive me. Thank you or whatever. Read on and please enjoy. And please kindly por favor onegai palihog review!  
  
Rating: PG (may fluctuate)  
  
Love Me As Who I Really Am  
  
Chapter V: Getting To Know You  
  
"Why in the world did I even let her go back there?" Misao muttered as she stared down at her reflection from her cup of coffee. "What was I? Insane?"  
  
An hour and a half has passed after Kaoru left for the club. After leaving a note for Yahiko that Kaoru has left already and that she'd be going out for a cup of coffee (also adding that he could eat Kaoru's and her shares of the Chinese food), Misao went out for a breath of fresh air. She finally ended up in this coffee bar.  
  
"Let me see. men! I even helped her get ready! If anything happens to her tonight, it's all gonna be my fault. Ughhh!!" She was so mad that she bumped her head down on her table on purpose. Her coffee spilled from her cup dirtily.  
  
A waiter approached her tentatively. "Uh. are you okay, miss?" He asked with all the best intentions.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU!" Misao suddenly exploded, standing and rolling her sleeves up. "WHY DON'T YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS?!" Her eyes narrowed to such tiny slits that it was almost impossible for her to see and her fangs showed as she challenged the shocked waiter.  
  
"Sure. sure! I'll leave you, uh, now! I-I'm sorry.!" The waiter stammered as he hurried back to his boss, apparently frightened.  
  
Misao growled once again as she sat back down angrily. *Some people just can't give other people privacy. * She told herself as she brought the cup up to her lips and took a sip. *Maybe that waiter just can't restrain himself from being worried over someone as beautiful as I am. Nonetheless. I DON'T KNOW HIM! * Her brain screamed. She began pondering once again on what would probably happen to Kaoru tonight. Negative pondering.  
  
Suddenly, the door opened and a guy walked in. The girl at the counter froze as she stared at the strikingly good-looking man walking towards an empty table. The girl quickly signaled one of the available waiters to serve the newcomer.  
  
Misao was still deep in thought and didn't realize the man sit at the table beside hers for she was still staring down at her cup of coffee blankly like a nut head.  
  
"What would it be, Mr. Shinomori?" The waiter asked Aoshi, cracking on his gum lazily and holding a pen and paper.  
  
"No sugar. Brewed. Move it." Aoshi replied bluntly, not even giving the guy one look.  
  
The waiter was taken a back at Aoshi's coldness but recovered. "Sure. In a minute."  
  
Aoshi sighed as he glanced around warily. All of a sudden, something caught his eye. Or rather, somebody caught his eye. T'was the girl from Oishii Restaurant.  
  
*The cute one with the braided hair. No. the attractive one with the braided hair. * He shook his head at what entered his brain. Nevertheless, she's just a girl. A girl sitting at the table next to his.  
  
The waiter walked towards his table and placed a mug before him a few moments later. "Here you go, sir." He said cheerfully.  
  
Aoshi nodded at his direction absent-mindedly, staring at the dark fluid swimming inside the mug.  
  
The waiter shuddered as he slowly tried to walk past between Aoshi's and Misao's tables. *The Ice King and the War Princess. * He thought. He carefully slid past them both. Unfortunately, his right thigh brushed against Misao's left leg.  
  
"HEY! DON'T TOUCH ME, SHRIMP!" She suddenly screamed, standing up and taking the guy by the neck. "DON'T YOU SEE I'M TRYING TO THINK HERE?!" "I-I'm sorry.! It was an accident!" The waiter struggled to free himself from Misao's death-grip. "Please! I'M TO YOUNG TO DIE!" He pleaded nervously as Misao's grip tightened.  
  
"Fine!" She said as she removed her hand and watched the waiter take in air. "JUST STOP BUGGING ME!" She screamed with her hands on her hips, feeling everybody's eyes on her.  
  
"Ye-yes, ma'am!" The waiter replied, scared as he turned and fled.  
  
She sat down huffily and glared back at the people staring weirdly at her.  
  
But there was one person not looking at her. It was the gorgeous guy with the ice blue eyes from that day's lunch. And he was sitting right next to her table.  
  
"Hey." She said, hoping to catch his attention.  
  
The guy slowly turned his head to her direction and stared at her with that same stoic expression, looking quite uninterested.  
  
"Well." She began. *Now what am I going to say?! This is soooo very embarrassing! * "Well. I think I saw you somewhere." She said. She almost slapped her face. *That was DEFINITELY dumb! *  
  
"Oishii Restaurant." The man replied, expression remaining blank.  
  
"Oh now, I remember!" Misao beamed. "By the way, I'm Misao Makimachi." She reached out her hand, hoping for a handshake.  
  
Too bad. The guy doesn't like handshakes.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori." He stated as he brought the mug to his lips. But he still did not take her hand and shake it.  
  
She withdrew her hand, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Soooo. ooo-kay. You don't like handshakes." She observed. "Anyways, your name sounds Japanese. Are you Japanese?" Misao asked, desperately hoping to start a conversation.  
  
"My grandparents came here at the start of the World War II." He answered.  
  
Misao beamed. "Wow! So I guess our family histories are kind of similar. Don't you think it's quite a similarity?"  
  
Aoshi shook his head. "Not exactly."  
  
Silence finally took over. It lasted for several seconds and Misao was really desperate to start a conversation. A real LONG one. She scrutinized his face curiously.  
  
"You've got nice blue eyes." She finally blurted out.  
  
No answer. She suddenly saw something glinting beneath his polo shirt. A gun? She decided to ignore it.  
  
"Did you know that your polo shirt matched the blackness of your hair?" She continued.  
  
Still no answer.  
  
Misao was starting to get really annoyed. She took a deep breath, trying to control herself.  
  
"Have you ever tried talking to a corpse?" She asked him, right eyebrow raised.  
  
Aoshi turned to his face to her direction, wearing that same blank expression but his eyes were questioning. "I'll try next time."  
  
The right corner of her mouth twitched up. "You know, it's EXTREMELY boring."  
  
"So I'm boring." He answered. "You said so."  
  
"Well, not exactly. But if you'll just talk to me for a sec, then maybe I'll change my mind." She challenged.  
  
*Clever girl. * Aoshi thought. He stood up, gulping the remaining contents of his mug. "I gotta go." He said. "Nice meeting you, Miss Makimachi." He started towards the door.  
  
"Hoping to see you soon." Misao called after him.  
  
He stopped. "Don't count on it."  
  
Misao sat back, grinning. *Ohh. I'll count on it. You'll see * She looked up to the wall clock. *Oops! Gotta go back home too. I've got class tomorrow! *  
  
She grabbed her handbag and stood up. She immediately paid for her coffee when something hit her. *Aoshi didn't pay for his coffee. * She grinned. *Yeah. I'll surely see him again. * She told herself as she took a cab and drove back home.  
  
*I wonder what Kaoru's doing at the moment? *  
  
  
  
@@@  
  
"I have a feeling you're letting me win." Kaoru mumbled as she made her winning move; she placed the queen on the square right in front of Kenshin's king, giving him no place to move into. She grinned. "Checkmate."  
  
Kenshin and Kaoru arrived at his apartment fifteen minutes ago. She was so quiet. until Kenshin took out his chessboard and they began playing.  
  
"You're good." He stated as he analyzed the chess pieces, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He looked up and smiled at her. "I've never concentrated this much on a chess tournament before."  
  
"Should I take that as a compliment?" Kaoru asked.  
  
Kenshin smiled adorably once again, closing his eyes in the process. "I guess so."  
  
"I'm not that good." She said, clasping her hands on her lap. "It's just my luck this time."  
  
"Maybe." He replied as he began tossing each piece into the overturned chessboard. "Maybe not." He placed the chessboard inside the storage box.  
  
Kaoru blushed.  
  
"Oro! Miss Kamiya, your face got red all of a sudden." Kenshin commented. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
Talk about mood breaker.  
  
Kaoru felt herself heating up as each second passed. *This guy is--- is. INSENSITIVE! * Her brain screamed. "I'm fine." She spat out, angrily trying to calm herself down. "Just fine." *Can't he see I'm just uncomfortable? *  
  
Kenshin stood up and walked around the low cabinet, which separated the living room from the dining room, and into the kitchen. "I guess you haven't eaten yet?" He opened the refrigerator and began searching for something edible.  
  
"Well, I, uh, kinda forgot to, uh, eat." She stammered as she stood up. "But please. Don't worry over my account." She said, all in a rush.  
  
"Nonsense." He took something from the cupboard. A menu or something. "Do you want egg rolls?" He asked, glancing at the menu in his hand. "Noodles? Chow fun is always fun. I could go out and pick up some Chinese food if you want."  
  
Kaoru shook her head. "No really, I'm fine."  
  
Kenshin stared at her intently. "You have to eat too. Please don't tell me you're on diet."  
  
She burst out laughing. "I am NOT on diet. Okay, peanut butter sandwich is fine."  
  
He smiled. "Okay."  
  
A few minutes later, both were seated on the sofa comfortably, with a glass of juice and a peanut butter sandwich for each.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Mr. Himura." Kaoru began as she took a bite from her sandwich.  
  
"Please call me Kenshin. Actually, there's no need to thank me. I made a promise to someone that I'd keep you safe." He told her.  
  
She almost choked. "You promised what? I mean, to whom?"  
  
"Soujiro."  
  
"But - but how'd you two meet? I mean,where? When?" She frantically searched for the answers on the face of this man who said 'he'd protect her'. "Why?"  
  
He smiled at her. "Well, we met accidentally and since I saw him with you. I felt like I should have his acquaintance, too. Then he told me what you were doing and he made me swear that well. I won't let anyone. touch you." He brought his hand behind his head and laughed nervously.  
  
In mere seconds, Kaoru was shaking him almost, if not, violently. "Sou- chan made you promise what? Who does he think he is? I can-hell-I can take care of myself!!" She began screaming hysterically. *Man! What am I saying?! Am I making sense here? *  
  
Suddenly, Kenshin caught both of Kaoru's hands and held her tightly by the wrists. He looked at her. "Please, Miss Kamiya. I know you're a bit confused and all, but you see, I have had a long day. I'm sorry. I'm just a bit tired." His voice trailed off.  
  
He still did not let go of Kaoru's wrists.  
  
"Soujiro just made me swear to take care of you." He said once again. "I have all the best intentions. As for your other problems, we'll talk about it later. We also need your help. for something. Is that okay, Ms. Kamiya?"  
  
"WE?" She asked. "What do you mean, WE? Who's with you anyway?"  
  
"Let's eat."  
  
Kaoru nodded slowly as Kenshin let go of her wrists and smiled at her. "So. let's eat."  
  
The both of them began eating. But a few minutes later, Kaoru felt something loosen at her neck. *What could it be? * She pondered.  
  
All of a sudden, the strings at her neck, which held her backless blue shirt up, snapped.  
  
"Ohmygosh!" She exclaimed, embarrassed as she grabbed the shirt by the top so as not to let it fall. That's when she remembered: she's not wearing anything underneath. Ooooh. this is going to get interesting.  
  
She looked at Kenshin frantically. He was looking back at her with eyes as big as saucers, apparently panicked. He stood up immediately and darted across the room and stopped outside a door, probably a bedroom door.  
  
He glanced back at her as he fumbled into his pockets, taking out his keys, and opened the door. "I'll, uh, get a T-shirt for you." He said as he dashed into the room.  
  
Kaoru sighed, still holding the dangerous shirt up by the revealing collar. *Why in the world did I wear this thing? If Kenshin was a PERVERT, then he would have probably pulled this shirt done and had his way with me. Or maybe harassed me! Brrrr! I can't imagine Kenshin doing that. I mean, he's nice and all but. *  
  
"Here you are." Kenshin said, interrupting her thoughts.  
  
Kaoru looked up. He had his back on her but he was handing her a white, over-sized, men's T-shirt.  
  
She snatched it from him and pulled it on in a hurry. She felt her won sexy shirt fall down as she put on Kenshin's T-shirt. "You can look now."  
  
He turned around and smiled. "I'm sorry if the shirt's too big for you."  
  
"No, actually it's fine." She smiled at him warmly. "You're nice."  
  
He smiled back. "So I guess all we have to do is finish our snack, take a bath and go to sleep."  
  
Kaoru blushed when she thought of his bedroom. "Well.."  
  
He smiled at her uneasiness. "You can sleep on my bed." She became beet red. ".and I'll sleep here on the sofa."  
  
She was obviously taken aback. But she recovered. "Oh, okay."  
  
"Like I said, Miss Kamiya, I'm not going to let anyone take advantage of you." He said down beside her and began biting his sandwich.  
  
"Well, uh." She began. "What do you exactly mean by 'taking advantage, Kenshin?"  
  
Kenshin grimaced at the word. "Rape." He looked at her. "That includes me."  
  
She chuckled. "You are indeed nice." She began devouring her food.  
  
"By the way."  
  
Kaoru's glass froze halfway to her mouth. "What is it?"  
  
His face was grim and she saw the muscles on his jaw flex, twice. "There's something we need to discuss."  
  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
Author's notes: Yeah! Finished! Okay, okay! I'm sorry for the delay, minna! It's been close to three months since the last time I actually updated. Well, sorry, but it had been busy months. Lots of things changed. So I'm sorry.  
  
Cuz you see, we just moved, I attended a Bible Camp (I'M NOT THAT INNOCENT) and I joined a Journalism Contest. BWAHAHAHAHA! And I won! First place in Feature Writing and Most Promising Campus Writer. I can't believe it, you guys! And I had just my exams. Hahaha. Big deal.  
  
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.  
  
Hitokiri's woman: Aw! Don't worry, I'm not going to make her do anything bad. C=  
  
Marstanuki: LOL You figure! Anyways, I love TIMELESS. Continue!!!!  
  
Hotaru Yukishiro Tomoe Kamiya: Aw. not really  
  
Thanks to all those guys who reviewed!!!!  
  
So if you guys want to e-mail me and make friends, my e-mail addy is lieveit1@yahoo.com  
  
Hope you'll like this chappy! Please review! And yeah, 'TADAIMA' IS ON- GOING! Please review! Aishiteru!!!!!!!  
  
REMINDER: PLEASE REVIEW CUZ I'D BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!  
  
lieveit1 '^-^' 


	6. Contrast

Disclaimer:  All standard disclaimers apply.

.

Author's greetings: Man, I want to throw up.  I'm not feeling so well.  First, I'm going to let you guys in a secret.  I never really had a properly detailed plot for this fic before (hahaha, big deal)….  WHHAAT?  You guys knew all along?!  *sigh* Well, at least I'm honest.  So, here it is.  Read this chappy and enjoy.

Rating:  PG (may fluctuate)

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter VI:  Contrast

*This is soooo embarrassing.  Kaoru, how did you get into this mess?* Kaoru asked herself bluntly the next morning.  She was wide awake but lay still on Kenshin's bed, eyes still closed.

She could vaguely remember Kenshin opening his apartment door last night, handing her his white T-shirt and lastly, seriously interrogating her.  She evaded his questions as good as she can and even feigned sleepiness just to escape.  That's when the man reluctantly opened his bedroom door to let Kaoru sleep while grabbing a single pillow and a blanket from the closet.  He then closed the door behind him on his way out to give Kaoru privacy for the night.

*We need to discuss something, he said.* Kaoru mimicked his voice in her mind sarcastically as a frown marred her face.  *Pah!  Who does he think he is?  I don't even know him!  That Soujiro just wait and when I see him, I'm going to wring his scrawny neck and make him wish he never associated with the likes of Kenshin Himura!!* Her brain screamed.  All these ran through her head but a teeny part of her, a teensy weensy part of her wanted to go up to Kenshin and pour her heart out to him.  This teensy weensy part of her said, "He is nice.  He respects you.  He understands you.  You can talk to him."  But Kaoru had trusted a man she didn't know once and that was a mistake.  She didn't want to make the same mistake again.

Her eyes suddenly jerked open as she came fully awake in the dark room and saw a figure leaning over her bed, staring at her with the concentrated look of an assassin.

Gathering all her voice power into her throat, she was about to scream when she heard Kenshin say, "Uh… Miss Kaoru?  Are you awake already?"

The male voice, even though it was rather high-pitched, startled Kaoru so much that her stored voice power suddenly broke lose and… she screamed.  She grabbed the pillow from under her head as she jolted into a sitting position then she roughly shoved the pillow into Kenshin's face, clutching the blanket in front of her body protectively.

Kenshin let out a muffled "orororo!"  He fell on his back with the fluffy pillow still on his face.  He started getting the pillow from his face and stared at Kaoru with a bemused expression.  "What?"

Kaoru blinked several times as she let the situation sink in.  She stared back at Kenshin and she began to redden.  "Hey!  What were you trying to do?!  You could have at least knocked on the door!"

"I'm sorry!  I'm sorry!"  He apologized as he started to get up.  He walked towards the switch and turned the lights on.  "But the door was open and I need to get my clothes and---"

"Oh my God!"  Kaoru cut in.  "Clothes!"

He turned towards her.  She was looking really cute at five in the morning with her tussled hair and white shirt (belonging to Kenshin of course) which came down to her knees.  He shook his head.  "Wha-what?"  He was having trouble understanding her.  What clothes?

Kaoru threw up her hands in exasperation.  "I said I have no clothes!  I can't wear the---the ones I wore last night since the straps snapped and the skirt's too short!  My God, I remember, I just borrowed them."  She paused as she saw Kenshin's confused expression.  "Can you hear me?!  I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!"

He blinked several times.  Finally, he said, "Oh…"

"Oh?" She asked, frustrated.  "I could very well go into the streets naked and all you can is" - her mouth turned down into a scowl - "Oh?"

"Uh…"  He started as he tried to clear the fog that had settled on his brain.  "I think I've got something which would fit you all right."

"Yeah, and I'm going to be one scruffy tomboy."  Kaoru muttered as she fidgeted with her blanket.  She watched him open drawer after drawer in his closet, apparently searching for something.  She reddened even more.  *Stop that, Kamiya!*

"Here it is!"  Kenshin announced triumphantly as he took a small pouch from the bottom drawer.  He tossed it on the bed at Kaoru's feet and took a hanger from his closet and placed it on the bed.  

It was a simple green blouse and a black pencil skirt reaching the knees.

Kaoru stared at what he placed on the bed then she looked up to him.  "Whe-where'd you get these?"

Kenshin grinned adorably.  "Honestly, these belong to somebody I know.  The blouse and skirt was actually my gift to this friend of mine, but she bought the pouch and its contents herself.  But she never stayed long enough to using them."  He explained.

Kaoru reached out for the pouch and unzipped it, all the while thinking, *Who could this 'she' be?* A brassiere and a panty, both made of black silk, were inside it, neatly folded at the bottom.

Kenshin turned around to walk out of the room.  Before he closed the door behind him, he said," Miss Kaoru, there's a bathroom in here."

Kaoru frowned.  "I know where the bathroom is."

"So why don't you get into the shower first?  While you dress up, that's when I'll take a bath myself."  He said.

"Sure."  She replied.  "Kenshin…?"  She hurriedly called out before he fully closed the door.

He poked his head through the small opening from the outside and smiled at her.  "What is it?"

Kaoru smiled back.  "Thank you."

He smiled once again and closed the door.  He leaned on the wall and waited.  A few minutes later, he heard the shower running from the adjoining bathroom beside his bedroom.

He raised his eyes to the ceiling and then closed them.  He sighed, "You're welcome."

@@@

"Haaaayy!!!!" Yahiko yawned as he came fully awake, and then rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  He stood up from the tattered bed, drowsily scratching his ribs as he slowly made his way towards the small, almost dysfunctional, refrigerator.  He filled a glass with water.  He yawned once again then brought the glass to his lips.

It was six in the morning.

The door suddenly burst open.  A figure walked in, carrying a large, purple duffel bag.

Yahiko stared at the newcomer, surprised.  He suddenly choked on the water inside his mouth but a few seconds later, he finally recovered.  "What are YOU doing here?"

The woman walked to Kaoru's bed and placed her bag on it.  She planted her hands on her hips and looked at Yahiko.  She raised an eyebrow.  "Is that a proper greeting?"

"Well, no…"  He replied.  "But---"

"Where's Kaoru?"  She cut in.

"She's not here."

"Where is she then?"

"I don't know."  Yahiko answered helplessly.

She sighed.  She sat on the neatly-made bed and crossed her leg over the other.  "What kind of sister would leave her kid brother alone for one night?"  She asked herself aloud.

"HEY!"  Yahiko bellowed.  "I am not a kid!"

She glared at him and he suddenly shut up.  "Do not raise your voice at me."  She told him coldly.  "Now, you better get dressed and go to school.  Is Kaoru still in the university?"

"Yeah!" Yahiko shouted in reply as he headed for the small bathroom.  "So, what brings you here?"  He asked from inside the bathroom as he took off his nightclothes.

"Both of you."  He heard the visitor say.  "I'd be staying here for a while."

Yahiko rolled his eyes heavenwards.  He let out a hiss as the cold water hit his skin.  *Man, this is going to be one hell of a meeting.  Kaoru and she may be close.  But they weren't exactly the best of friends.* He grinned as he reached out for the bar of soap.  *Wonder how she'll provoke Kaoru this time…?*

@@@

"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!  So he was your knight in shining armor, huh?"  Misao said through hysterical giggles after Kaoru related to her the events of the previous night that afternoon.  Misao had earlier dropped by Kaoru's school because her class was released an hour before dismissal time.  The two girls were seated on a bench just outside the university.

"Ssshhh!  Lower your voice, Misao!  Somebody will hear you!"  Kaoru looked around nervously.  "I didn't expect him to show up.  So…" She slapped Misao's arm when she saw the younger girl starting another series of giggles.  "Stop laughing!"

"Bwahahahaha!  I'm trying!  Mmmm-mwahahaha!!!"  Misao exhaled and inhaled several times and forcefully fixed a serious expression on her face, though she was very near laughing.  She furrowed her eyebrows and appeared to be listening intently but the sides of her mouth were dangerously twitching up.  "So Himura showed up last night and saved your butt?"

"Yeah, I was really surprised when he popped out of nowhere."  Kaoru replied, hugging her books to her chest.  "And he knew Sou-chan, Misao."  She peered into Misao's face."  Hey, you still with me, girl?"  She asked when she saw that the other girl was squinting at something from afar.  She followed Misao's gaze.

"You know what, Kaoru?"  Misao said after a brief moment of silence.  Both girls were staring at a woman with long silky black hair from afar.  The woman had her back on them.

"What?"  Kaoru replied as she tried sending an ESP to the woman.  *Turn around so I may see you!*

Misao snapped her fingers thrice as she tried remembering a name.  "That girl looks familiar."

"Yeah…"  Kaoru said.  "Familiar…"

Suddenly, the woman turned around and began walking towards them.  She had in her hands three cans of coke --- DIET coke.  As she gradually shortened the distance between her and the girls, she smirked.

Kaoru and Misao's eyes turned as big as saucers.

Kaoru shrieked, "It's Megumi!"  the same time that Misao screeched, "It's the daughter of your mom's best friend!"  Misao and Kaoru looked at each other.  

"What is she doing here?!"  Kaoru hissed at the other girl.

"How am I to know?!"  Misao whispered back.

Before they knew it, Megumi was standing right in front of them.  She shoved a can to each girl's hands.  Kaoru and Misao yelped as they tossed the cold cans up and down like circus jugglers.  Megumi sat down beside Kaoru and began drinking her coke.

Kaoru stared at her and after a few moments said, "What are you doing here?"

"I need a vacation," was her curt reply.

"Tsut!  Need a vacation, like, who needs one?"  Misao muttered under her breath sarcastically as she opened her can.

"Misao!"  Kaoru warned and Misao just shrugged.  She turned back to Megumi.  "Where will you be staying?  I mean, when did you just arrive?"

"This morning."

Kaoru gasped.  "That's impossible!"

"I'm here, am I not?"

Kaoru kept silent and began drinking her coke.  *This is not good.  Definitely not good.*

Megumi broke the silence.  "Yahiko was alone last night, wasn't he?"

"He's not a kid anymore."  Kaoru replied.

"It's dangerous."

"What?  Leaving him alone?  I placed four padlocks on the door."  Kaoru replied.

Megumi rolled her eyes.  "Four padlocks, huh?"

"Yeah…" Kaoru answered warily.

Megumi sighed.  "I came to your flat at six this morning and guess what I did?  I just kicked the door and it flew open.  Where'd your four padlocks go?"

Kaoru's mouth fell open and she appeared as if she was in a trance.  A few moments later, coke trickled out of her mouth.  Misao slapped her arm happily and she snapped out of her reverie.  She shook her head then wiped the coke from her chin.  She stared at Megumi, wide-eyed.  "WHAT?!"

Misao burst out laughing.  "Four padlocks!  Right!"

"Well, I—I… uh… I---"  Kaoru stammered, blushing.  "Well… it's not my fault anymore if Yahiko forgot to lock the door, okay?"  She glared at Misao.  "Right, Misao?'  She asked through gritted teeth.

"Yeah!"  Misao eagerly answered happily.

"Where were you last night, then?"  Megumi asked Kaoru, completely ignoring Misao.

"I was with a friend."  Kaoru answered, looking straight ahead.  

Megumi stood up and began pacing before them.  "Friend?  Male or female?"

"Female."  Kaoru said quietly.

Misao smirked.  "Male."

Megumi whirled around and stared at Kaoru.  "Male?"

Kaoru glared at Misao.  Megumi shifted her attention to the other girl.  "Male?"

Misao nodded, expression as assuring as possible.  "Yeah, male.  And a very gorgeous one too."

The older woman grinned.  Then, she burst out laughing.  "A gorgeous male, you say?"  She asked through dignified fits of laughter.  "What male in his right mind would take interest on this tomboy?"  She waved her hand to Kaoru's direction.

Kaoru stood up angrily.  "Hey!  I am not a---a tomboy, okay!"  

"So, by the way, what were you doing with your male friend?"

"We were just---" Kaoru started to say.

"You were just doing what, huh?"  Megumi cut in, chin up.  "Did he fu---"

"NO!"  Kaoru snapped angrily.  "We didn't do anything like that."

"Tae called me a few days ago," said Megumi, much to the surprise of both girls.

"Tae called you?"  Kaoru and Misao asked in unison.

"Yes and she told me she'd been seeing you a lot around lately with some guy who appeared as if he possessed you or something.  And Tsubame, she said, told her that whenever she was with you and Yahiko, she could feel that you were quite uneasy and you kept looking at your brother worriedly,"

"I..."  Kaoru started to say.  "I think this isn't the place to discuss that, Megumi."

Megumi raised an eyebrow.  She, then, turned around and began strolling away from them.  "Let's take a walk then tell me everything, from top to bottom."

Misao immediately stood up.  "Come on, why not tell her?"  Then she began following Megumi.

Looking around helplessly, Kaoru ran to catch up with the other two.  "Look," she started to say, walking beside Megumi.  "This is my problem and, you know, you have got more than enough problems already and I don't want to bothe---"

Megumi stopped walking.  Kaoru and Misao did the same.  The older woman faced Kaoru and tried to use reason.  "No, you look.  I've known you since you were but a baby.  I knew you even before Misao met you.  Our moms were best friends.  Even though we aren't, I still care for you and Yahiko because I am older.  Besides," she folded her arms across her belly and began walking again.  "I assisted your mother when she changed your diaper and I was the first one to know your first crush was Jason."

Misao's and Kaoru's mouths dropped open.  Misao then slapped Kaoru's arm.  

"Hey!  What was that for?"  Kaoru exclaimed.

Misao glared at her.  "You said I was the only one who knew that."  She grumbled under her breath then after a few more upset complaints, she ran towards Megumi.

Kaoru stared at her friend's back incredulously then ran after her.  "I didn't know how she found that out!"

"So are you going to relate with me what's happening or are you going to just argue?"  Megumi called out over her shoulder.  She slowed down.

Kaoru and Misao caught up with her and began ambling, much more relaxed.  

"Here's what happened…"  Misao started.

Megumi listened intently, once in a while nodding, trying to swallow everything in.

@@@

"Let's see," Sano looked down to his grocery list then to the basket he was carrying.  "Bath soap, check.  Toothpaste, check.  Toothbrush, laundry soap, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, Doritos, check.  Beer, check.  Well," he proceeded to the cashier.  "That's about it."  He smiled at the young girl at the counter, who readily flashed at him her most flirtatious and perpetual smile.

After he paid for his grocery supplies, he said, "Thanks, babes."  The girl batted her FAKE eyelashes.

He exited the mini grocery store, whistling tunelessly.  He stopped on his tracks when he saw a group of women walking towards him, deep in conversation.

He recognized the other two as the girls he saw at somewhere, no, he doesn't remember where precisely, but the woman at the middle was definitely someone he knew.  He smirked then he pulled his shoulders back and began approaching them.

@@@

"So that was it."  Kaoru ended.

I hope the guy would drop dead."  Megumi cursed, not mentioning the subtlety of the curse though.

'Yeah," Misao agreed.

"This is getting quite complicated, Kao---" Megumi suddenly looked ahead… and her mouth dropped open, literally.  Cool, calm Megumi actually had her mouth drop open.

There in front of them, was the goofy-looking man with Kenshin and a goofy grin plastered across his face completed his really goofy look.

"Hey," Misao said.  "You were the one with Aoshi and Kenshin yesterday."

Kaoru looked at Misao.  "Who's Aoshi?"

"Oh!  Sorry," Misao apologized.  "I met him last night at a coffee bar and made friends.  He was the tall one with the ice blue eyes."  She made gestures with her hands nd raised an eyebrow.  "You know.  Blue eyes, serous expression, tall, from yesterday with Kenshin…?"  She stopped.  "Gorgeous…?"

"Oh."  Kaoru nodded vigorously, her mouth forming a perfect oval.  "Him."

"Hi!"  Sano greeted Kaoru and Misao cheerfully."  I'm Sanosuke Sagara.  Call me Sano."

"I'm Kaoru."  

"Misao here."

Kaoru looked at Megumi.  She saw the other woman glaring at Sanosuke.  "Hey, Megumi, introduce yourself."  The other woman kept quiet.  Kaoru shook her head.  "This is Megumi."

"He knows me."  Megumi replied abruptly, her chin going up an inch.

Sano's goofy grin widened.  "It's a small world after all."  When Megumi said nothing, he continued, "What'd I tell you?  I'll always be right where you are."

Megumi flipped her hair over her shoulders arrogantly.  She snapped her fingers.  "Evaporate, Sano."

Sano held up his free hand before himself defensively, palm out.  "Okay, okay, I'm letting you pass.  As you wish."  He stepped aside to let them pass.

Once they were out of Sano's hearing range, Kaoru glanced behind her shoulder and saw him still standing where they left him, staring at them.  "Who's he?"

Megumi's answer shocked them both.  "He was my boyfriend.  WAS."

TBC

Author's Notes:  Sorry for not being able to update sooner.  I finished this chapter thirty minutes before January 1, 2003 honestly, but I never got around to typing it into the computer.  

                        People, I've realized that Kenshin still calls Kaoru –dono even though they were already married.  What the hell… somebody, explain that please.

                        By the way, 'Tadaima' is still to be continued.  And don't worry; I'm trying to rack my brain for 'Second Chance'.  I'm really busy.  Anybody here who's a Jude Deveraux, Julie Garwood or Judith McNaught fan?  One of my girl friends is and she kept pestering me to read those books even though I thought they were too girly.  But yeah, I read them and now I'm sort of like a fan of Deveraux.  Jude's a really great writer, you know, good knowledge about what she writes... or something like that.  During a festival at one of my friend's place, we watched Vision of Escaflowne.  Frankly, I wasn't a fan of V of E before but now I am.  But Kenshin still rulez!!!!  So enough… see ya, guys.

lieveit1 '^-^'


	7. Cause And Effect

Disclaimer:  All standard disclaimers apply.  I also would like to add that I do not own the United States of America.  By the way, this also means I don't own the LAPD.  I just invented my own department but used the same name.  But they aren't the same.

Author's greetings:  Hey.  It's been a while.  So, I hope you'd enjoy this chapter.  Actually, by the time you read this, my final exams are already finished and it's summer vacation here at my place already.  So, hope you enjoy.

Ratings:  PG-13 (may fluctuate)

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter VII:  Cause and Effect 

"He was my boyfriend."  Megumi said, her voice flat.  "That is, it's was."

Kaoru and Misao gaped at her.  A few seconds ticked by.  Megumi raised an eyebrow at them both.  "What's the big deal?"  She asked them, shrugging.  "It's not like I was married to him or anything so don't turn something as small as that into such a big deal by-" she gave her head a regal toss at their direction-"gawking at me like illiterate girls."

Kaoru was the first to recover.  Her eyes became murky blue puddles on her face as she peered into Megumi's face.  "But...  how could that be?"  Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  "You live so far away."

"I presume it was a long-distance relationship?"  Misao asked.  She folded her arms across her belly loosely.  "I mean he doesn't look like such a bad guy.  He looked kind of nice.  And he acted like a gentleman-" she grinned- "even though he doesn't look much like one."

The soon-to-be fox doctor rolled her eyes heavenwards.  "Nice?  Sometimes.  Not a bad guy?  I doubt it.  A gentleman?  That's something I still need to see."  She started walking, pace faster than usual.  "I am not interested in this conversation."

The two younger girls looked at and grinned at each other.  Now here's something they could use against the usually very witty female.  They strolled at their usual pace and eventually caught up with Megumi.  They had these really mysterious looks on their faces.  

"So-" that was Kaoru- "how'd you two meet?"

Megumi sighed and forced an uninterested expression on her face.  She crossed the street on a red light.  She hoped to lose the other girls in the crowd but they were right behind her.  She tried to elevate herself from her body and ignore their questions.  But that was impossible.

"Was he really nice?  How did you get to see each other?  Was he the one who flew from here to there or was it you?  Was he okay?  Did he indulge in womanizing?  Aren't you going to answer us?"

"All right!"  Megumi exclaimed, apparently exasperated.  She spun around and faced the two of them.  The other two abruptly stopped on their tracks and tried to suppress their snickers by forcing serious expressions on their faces, but right then and there, that seemed to be an impossible task, especially when they were seeing Megumi's face turn seven shades of red for the first time.  People passed by them, oblivious to everything that was going on or maybe they were just downright stupid.  

"All right."  Megumi said once again, more calmly this time.  "I'll comply.  I met Sano on the Internet."  She began, her hands moving about expressively.  "I was, you know, looking for cases involving medical problems - that sort thing – then I suddenly clicked on something and I was brought to a chat room called BIOChat or the other or whatever and we suddenly entered a conversation involving prostitution"- she looked at Kaoru pointedly, who suddenly cringed at the word –"and I liked him a lot.  We talked about meeting and he flew from here to there.  So he asked me after several meetings and I said yes.  But after a couple of months, I told him I can't bear a long-distance relationship and we broke up."  She looked at Misao, then Kaoru and stared at them both cynically.  "Satisfied?"

Misao's and Kaoru's mouths were hanging open and they nodded vigorously.  

"Good."  Megumi heaved a sigh of relief and stoop up straight.  "Now, I move that the conversation regarding my so-called love life be closed.  Is that fine with you?"  

Kaoru closed her mouth and started nodding energetically, fixing an innocent expression on her face.  "Yeah, I—ah—I second the motion."  She said, nodding while looking at Misao.  "Right, Misao?"

Misao bobbed her head briskly, shifting her stare from Kaoru to Megumi all the while.  "Yeah, I motion the second—I mean, I, ah, second the motion, yeah, uh, whatever..."

"Good," said Megumi.  "That's good...  so, Kaoru, regarding your, ah, career as of present, what are you going to do about it?"

Kaoru looked away for a second and said, "I believe I'll just have to continue for awhile, Megumi.  Yahiko's life is - let's put it this way - at stake.  I mean, Ryu said that I should pay him and the only way I could, no, should, do that is to work for him."  She sighed.  "Or else he'll either take or kill Yahiko.  Life can be so complicated at times."

"No," Megumi stated firmly.  "Life can be easy if you will it to be.  It is you who either make your life easy or difficult.  The choice is in your hands.  Do not run away from life's complications, Kaoru.  Instead, face and conquer them."

Kaoru gradually smiled but the smile was weak.  "Thank you, Megumi."

"By the way, are you supposed to go out tonight?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What are you going to wear then?"

Kaoru shook her head.  "Actually, none.  Most of my clothes are skirts, shirts and pants.  Some may be sexy but they are rather conservative.  Last night, I just borrowed from Misao here."  She jerked her thumb at Misao, who immediately nodded.  "It's because Ryu said I should look sexy, though I didn't want to, but I've got no choice.  I mean, in this job, beauty is paramount."

Megumi nodded.  "Right.  So, you've got anything appropriate to wear?"

"Is there such a thing as appropriate in Kaoru's job?"  Misao asked, forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"Come on," Megumi pulled Kaoru's and Misao's elbows, forcing them to walk at either her sides.  "I'll teach you the womanly way to dress.  And the womanly way of protecting one's self from a pervert."

@@@

6:17 p.m. at the FBI headquarters...

"I heard from your landlady that you brought home a girl last night."  Sano supported his weight by pressing his palm on the surface of Kenshin's desk.  "Who was she?"

Kenshin looked up from the folder he was studying.  He smiled to lessen the impact of the cynicism.  "Someone who's apparently none of your concern."  

Sano shrugged and walked away.  "Whatever, man."  Kenshin heard him muttering.

Kenshin looked back down to the folder and scanned the nineteen-page report.  He dropped it on top of the desk and looked back up but he was staring into space.  He exhaled.  He entwined his fingers together, placed his hands under his chin and supported his elbows on his desk, deep in thought.

Ryu Ban.  According to the report, he was the boss of the biggest syndicate in the state, known to smuggle illegal drugs in and out of the country...  undetected.  He had many connections in high places, as well as in low ones, making him one of the most influential and powerful leaders in the underground world of illegal syndicates.  But then, no one would -or, probably, could- prove these accusations.  There was once a time when Kenshin was able to find a credible witness who issued an affidavit stating his expose against Ban but a few days later, the said witness refuted his affidavit and suddenly disappeared.  Kenshin was sure Ban had something to do with the witness's departure.

For two years now, Kenshin's informants kept telling him that Ban's latest 'project' was forcing unfortunate women into prostitution.  But in this type of job, evidences are essential.  Lack of evidences and witnesses kept Ryu Ban out of prison.  Now, Kenshin has a witness: Kaoru Kamiya.  The other thing that can solve the puzzle is evidence.  _How to capture Ryu Ban in his own net?_

"Hey...  hey...  Kenshin?  Kenshin Himura?  You there?  Yohooo!  Knock, knock!"  

Surprised, Kenshin's head jerked up.  He looked up to Sano's slightly concerned face, evidently disorientated.  "Did you say something?"  He managed to say.

"I said," Sano started, pronouncing each word slowly, in case Kenshin still needed to bring his head back down to earth, "we are needed at the airport.  Stolen antiques and drugs were detected hidden among the cargo."

"Oh."  Standing up, he closed several folders and piled them up, one on top the other.  "I'm ready.  Let's go."

@@@

6:19 p.m. right outside the FBI headquarters...

The man watched as Kenshin Himura and his partner, Sanosuke Sagara, got on a car.  The car, then, began speeding away to the direction of the airport.  He took out his cell phone as he watched the car race away and eventually vanish from his sight as it turned a corner, wheels screeching.

He dialed the number.  It was a personal number and only about two to seven people know it.  He waited for a few seconds and he heard somebody take the other end of the line.  Nobody spoke at the other end.  _So you're playing it safe, aren't you?_

"Hey, it's me."  He said.

The man at the other end heaved a sigh.  "I thought it was someone else.  What happened?"

"Hey, Ryu," he said, smirking.  "Guess what?  I just saw the Himura guy and his rooster-head partner get on a car.  They're going to the direction of the airport.  I guess your strategy worked."

"Good."  Ryu Ban felt himself spreading his colorful feathers like a peacock.  "Those objects I told my men to hide at the freight section of the plane meant not a thing to me.  They're all discarded materials."

"So you're going to do it tonight, aren't you?"  The spy asked.

Ryu's eyes narrowed to tiny slits.  "I owe you one.  I'll call you again."

"But—" the man started to say but wasn't able to continue.  Ryu Ban had slammed down the phone and had smashed it to pieces, ending the call.

@@@

7:12 p.m. at the dressing room of the Seduction Hall...

Kaoru looked around the dressing room, looking for Angela.  Unlike yester night, the dressing room tonight was like a den of lionesses, ready for the kill.  There were redheads, blonds, brown-haired, black-haired; some even wore wigs or whatever to hide the dull color of their hair.  Most of the women were watching their reflection on the mirror and applying make-up.  

Now, Kaoru decided that she knew the feeling of sardines inside a can.  There were more than enough women than how many the room can hold.  She sucked in her stomach as a blond ducked and passed by her, pressing Kaoru against the wall.

"Kaoru!  Kaoru!  Come on over here!"

Kaoru looked around and saw Angela waving at her from across the room.  There was plenty of space around her.  Kaoru began pushing her way through the jungle of hips, butts, breasts and other womanly curves.  She heaved a sigh of relief when she reached Angela and sat down beside her.

She inhaled deeply.  "I think I'm going to suffocate!"

Angela laughed.  "Same here.  You have to get used to this, you know.  At this time of the week, we're expectedly busy.  Lots of customers."  Angela inspected Kaoru from head to foot.  She whistled appreciatively.  "Wow!  Not bad, girl, not bad."  She nodded approvingly.

"You think so?"  Kaoru asked self-consciously, tugging the short skirt down, hoping that it could at least cover half of her thighs.  She was wearing a short, tight, red dress with transparent spaghetti straps.  The dress clung to every curve of her body and she felt like she was stripped naked.  She was wearing stilettos and her feet already hurt.  She wasn't the femme fatale type and she decided she'll never be.  It was all Megumi's fault.  The dress actually belonged to Megumi and the woman literally forced her to wear the dress.  Literally.

"Come on, you look great!  Though, you look like you're going to be eaten alive!"  Angela laughed as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"That's exactly how I feel."  Kaoru replied, her saliva sour.  "So, what am I exactly supposed to do out there?"

Angela bit her lower lip, seeming to be deep in thought.  A moment later, she looked up.  "Actually, I don't know.  But I saw some girls who just sits at a corner and look at guys then the guy approaches them and poses his invitation.  Easy!"

"Easy for you to say."  Kaoru muttered, pouting.

"Oh, come on.  Everything will turn out fine.  The man who was with you yester night looked nice."

"He is nice."  Kaoru stated firmly.  "He didn't touch me."

Angela giggled.  "No wonder you looked like a scared kitty.  This will officially be your first night."

"Officially."  Kaoru agreed.

"Yeah, officially," the other girl said.  She looked up to the wall clock for a sec and got up.  "Hey, I have to go on stage now.  I have to cover up for Janet.  She got sick or maybe she said she got sick but was just bluffing.  She came back home last night and spent the whole time throwing up.  So, good luck, Kaoru."  She began to walk towards the door, easily evading any human obstacle that blocked her way.  

Before she completely opened the door, she heard Kaoru's voice call out over the noise inside the room.  "Angela, can I—can I meet you tomorrow?  For lunch?  I want to talk to you about something.  My treat."

Angela smiled apologetically.  "Gee, I'm sorry, Kaoru.  I'm really busy tomorrow.  Maybe some other time.  See you up the ceiling."  She pushed the door open and went out of the room, not bothering to wait for Kaoru's response.  _I hope she got my message...  she had to.  If we meet tomorrow, it will still be useless if...  Ryu knew all about it.  She got up on stage.  She elevated herself from her body and did what she always did.  She floated around the room but when she looked at the direction of the stage, she saw her body dancing all the while._

At the dressing room, Kaoru sat back down on the bench and watched the other women get ready.  "So much for trying to find out anything illegal about Ryu."  She muttered.  _What a weird farewell.  See you up the ceiling?  That was the first time somebody said that.  _She thought about it for awhile.  Her eyes widened as she eventually understood what Angela meant.  

She faked a yawn and moved her head a little to the side as she did so, so as not to look obvious.  She forced an impassive look on her face and opened her eyes wide.  She scanned the ceiling and found what she was looking for.

A small digital camera was planted at the very corner of the ceiling and it was facing at her direction.

@@@

7:13 p.m. at the airport...

"This is it?"  Sano asked no one in particular incredulously.  "This is the illegal cargo they were so nervous about?  I mean, what's so important about these anyway?  I thought there'd be some action involved here.  I wanna kick some ass!"  He stared disappointedly at the objects lying on the table before them.  These objects were nothing but illegal.  The cargo contained several grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride 'hidden' inside partly-opened chocolate wrappers, marijuana and some art collections which were recently bought from an auction by a Jose Mercado Buenaventura and these art paraphernalia were not reported as stolen.  "If I could give a full opinionated report on this, I'd say this was a set-up.  I mean, look at it!  It's like as if somebody tried his best to make these things look so obvious instead of hiding them carefully."

Kenshin nodded slowly, thinking deeply.  "Same here."  He mumbled.

"Kenshin?"  Sano peered into his partner's face.  "You don't think somebody's trying to keep us away from some place else, do you?"

Kenshin stared at the 'illegal cargo' on the table with suspicious eyes.  "I'm not sure..."

"Uh-oh."  Sano muttered as he slowly lifted his head.  "Kenshin, here comes the police rookies." 

"Huh?"  Kenshin looked at the direction Sano was looking to.  That's when he realized several police cars approaching the al frescoed part of the airport.  Their sirens were furiously wailing to the max.  

Kenshin and his companions waited patiently and stood their ground.  He saw the officers get off their cars one by one and approach them.  At the very head was an almost bald-headed man with an inflated belly wearing what seems to be a police uniform.  Behind him, the other men had their guns ready and were running towards them frantically like as if they were after some escaped convicts.

As the police closed the distance between themselves and the FBI agents, Kenshin saw the fat man open his mouth to obviously say something, but was cut off when one of the officers behind him yelled, "LAPD!  You people are under arrest!  You have the right to remain silent!  Anything you say or do will be used against you in the Court of Laws!!!!!!"  With that, all the men behind the fat man quickly raised their guns and aimed at Kenshin and his companions.

At the corner of his left eye, Kenshin saw Sano smirk.  _Careful, Sano.__  Not everything is what they seem to be at first glance.  _

"Good evening, gentlemen."  The officer with the inflated belly said and Kenshin noticed his voice was unbelievably soft.  "I'm Sergeant Jim Carter.  We received a call from the airport management.  Is anything wrong?"

"Illegal cargo was detected hidden at the freight section of that plane, SERGEANT."  Sano said, emphasizing the 'sergeant' with apparent mockery.  He was pointing at a plane parked several feet away from them.  "And that passenger plane, by the way, landed here about an hour ago from Puerto Rico.  We've already declared this area around here" – he gestured at the area around them - "off-limits."  He paused as he stared at the police force in front of them.  "Any ques—"

"Identify yourselves."  Carter cut in abruptly.

"Kenshin Himura, FBI."  Kenshin answered quickly before Sano or any of his comrades say anything.  He took his wallet from his pocket and abruptly flipped it open to give the man a quick glance at his FBI badge, then he returned it into his pocket.

Carter stared at them for a few seconds.  Finally, he raised his hand.  "Lower your guns."  He told his men.  They did and immediately scattered to take 'a quick check of the surrounding perimeter'.  After that, Carter took no notice of them and just inspected the 'illegal cargo' as if he could do it better than Kenshin himself.

Kenshin stood at one side and watched the two groups around the area.  The police and the FBI were not hostile.  Civil, yes, but friendly?  Definitely not.  But they weren't hostile either.  It seems that some of the police from the LA Police Department think that FBI agents are so arrogant and so pseudo-sophisticated and vice versa.  But, no, they aren't hostile.  Other police officers were even asking some FBI agents for information and data for their police report.  It's commonly called civility in the name of public service and security of the state.

Then this thought suddenly hit him.  _Where _**is**_ Aoshi?  He's supposed to be here.  Kenshin took out his cell phone and dialed Aoshi's number.  After one ring, Aoshi answered his call.  "What is it?"  Kenshin asked_

"Are the police there?"  Aoshi suddenly asked.

Kenshin's eyebrow automatically rose.  _How'd he know that?_  Kenshin finally had to strain his ear to hear Aoshi's soft but serious and obviously male voice.  "Yes."

"Good."  After that, Aoshi immediately talked in a voice so serious and urgent but still unbelievably calm.  "Himura, listen.  You and Sano, get out into the parking lot.  Now.  The police can handle the situation there at the airport now." The urgency was obvious in his voice.  "Right now. You'll miss something if you don't."

Kenshin looked around, still holding his cell phone near his left ear.  He saw Sano involved in a rapid and heated squabble with a police officer near the plane.  He whistled loudly and when Sano turned to his direction, he snapped his fingers and motioned his partner to follow him.  He immediately ran out into the parking lot with Sano right behind.

When they reached the parking area, they stood at the very middle.  Sano looked at Kenshin and mouthed, "What is it?"

Kenshin shushed him and said to Aoshi, "What now?"

"Look around.  Do you see a red, six-wheel truck?  It's not really big but I know you can really see it.  There are two men on the front seats wearing uniforms with 'Junie's Warehouse' printed at the back.  Do you see it?"  

Kenshin looked around the area and indeed he saw the truck.  There was already a man in the driver's seat and he was already starting the engine.  The right side of the truck was actually facing at Kenshin and Sano's direction and Kenshin saw another man climbing on the passenger seat.  He was wearing a blue worker's uniform.  Kenshin could read the name at his back: Junie's Warehouse.

 "Yeah, I see it."  Kenshin said.

"Follow them.  This involves Ryu Ban."  

"How do you know all these?"  Kenshin asked.

Aoshi's answer was not an unexpected one.  "People I know.  Keep your distance."  Aoshi was known for having several connections which supply him with never-before-heard information.

"We will."  And the call ended right there.  Kenshin returned his cel into his pocket and immediately ran towards his car.  "Get on the car."  He told Sano.

When Sano saw that he was headed towards the driver's seat, he immediately opposed it.  "Hey, hey!  Now, wait, Kenshin!  I'm going to drive!  The steering wheel is my territory!" 

Kenshin ran around the car as Sano stood outside the door of the driver's seat.  "This car, though, is my territory."  Kenshin said as he tossed the car key's to Sano over the automobile.  

Then they both got on.  As Sano started the engine, Kenshin said.  "Do you see that red truck?  The one with six-wheels?  Follow it."

Sano pulled out and began looking around.  "Is this an FBI mission or something?"

"Yeah," was Kenshin's abrupt answer.

Sano began following the truck but was careful enough to keep his distance until they reached the highway.  "Uh, what exactly are we gonna do, Kenshin?"

Kenshin smirked.  "Kick some ass."

@@@

7:41 p.m. that night...

Ryu watched the screen intently in his office.  He was watching Kaoru Kamiya sit there and stare back at him, her gaze unwavering.   _Did you really think you can outsmart me, sapphy?  They've been doing this for over forty minutes already.  But the girl was a determined one._

"Ben."  He called out.  

A tall, muscular man stepped out from behind the shadows.  "Yes, boss?"

With a jerk of his head, he said, "Get her.  I want her.  Right now."

The man exited the room.  Ryu waited and just watched the screen.  After a few moments, he saw his man enter the dressing room and pull Kaoru Kamiya to her feet.  The girl got angry and slapped him across the face.  She glared at the camera, glared at him.  Ryu felt himself smirk.  The two went out of the dressing room.  Then Ryu took the remote and turned off the television.  He waited.

A minute passed by and the door opened.  Kaoru stepped inside the room and the door shut close behind her.  She glared at him, the hatred present in her eyes.

Ryu stared back at her.  He suddenly smiled, stood up and crossed the distance between them.  He walked around Kaoru and embraced her around the stomach.  "I saw you go out yesterday with Kenshin Himura.  Tell me, is he great in bed?"  He breathed in her feminine scent.  "I know you're not stupid, sapphy.   You're not going to turn traitor on me now, are you?"  He said, his mouth near her ear, his voice sexy.    

He pressed his right palm against her stomach and he felt her wince.  He smirked.  "I'm better than Himura, sapphy.  I'll show you how good I am.  Only I can make you scream back for more, you know."  He let his palm move around her stomach in a circular motion.  After a few minutes, he felt himself getting aroused.  His hand started to move lower.

Kaoru suddenly understood what he meant to do.  Using force, she pried herself free from him and, with all her might, punched him.  She ran towards the door and tried pulling it open, but it won't open.  

"Don't even try.  The door is locked from the outside."  She heard Ryu say.  She spun around and pressed herself against the door, getting very desperate.  She saw him walk slowly towards her, taking his time.  

When he finally reached her, he took her by the chin and kissed her on the mouth.  Kaoru tightened her lips.  _I'm never going to open myself to you.  Not to you, ever.  She told herself when she felt Ryu's tongue trying to push past her lips.  _

With the use of his body, he pinned her against the door.  "Don't be so shy, sapphy.  I know you want to do this."

TBC

Author's notes:  Hope you liked it.  I don't feel so humorous right now.  There were just some people who thought they know everything about me but they don't, and they left a bad taste in my mouth.  Sorry, I'm really tired.  Anyway, see you soon.  Bye.  

            By the way, I hope you'll review.  I turned a year older last month.  That's all.  Thanks.


	8. Surprise

Disclaimer:  All standard disclaimers apply.  

Author's greetings:  Hey, thanks for reviewing the previous chapter.  So, here's the eighth chapter.  Hope you'll like it.

Rating:  PG-13 (may fluctuate)

WARNING:  OOCNESS may be evident.  I also would like to tell you that THERE ARE SOME FOUL WORDS IN THIS CHAPTER.  KINDLY SKIP THEM IF YOU MUST.  

Love Me As Who I Really Am

Chapter VIII:  Surprise

7:42 p.m. 

"Kenshin, there's a warehouse up ahead."  Sano said, maneuvering the steering wheel to the right.  "What do you want me to do?"

"Hide the car behind those bushes.  Then turn off the engine."  Kenshin replied, pointing towards some undergrowth.  "Let's see what happens next."

"Okay."  Sano drove the car silently towards the direction Kenshin was pointing to with the headlights extinguished.  He parked the car behind the bushes in such a way that it can't be seen from afar because of the darkness, then he turned off the engine.  They sat quietly on their seats but all the while their eyes were fixed on the red, six-wheel truck.

Several meters in front of them was an abandoned warehouse with a wide parking space.  The truck parked right in front the warehouse's large metal entrance.  Its headlights and engine were still on when the driver got off it and walked towards the door.  After knocking thrice, the metal door was immediately compelled open by several hands from the inside.  The driver spoke briefly with one of the sixteen armed men who opened the door from the inside and they shook hands.  After that, the driver went back on the truck and drove into the depot, the metal door dropping close behind them with a loud slam.

"Wow, did you see the rifle one of those guys were carrying?"  Sano exclaimed, slapping his hand on his knee.  He ran his fingers on the wheel, expressing running legs.  "Awww!  Doesn't he look cute?  He looked like he's going to hunt for several cute bunnies.  Hahaha!"

"Sano, we're going in."  Kenshin said, ignoring Sano's statement.  He reached under his denim jacket and plucked his gun from his shoulder holster.   It was a Beretta 92F pistol.  He reached into the back seat for a black bag which he always kept inside the car in cases of emergency.  He zipped it open and took out a set of bullets which he loaded into his gun.    

Sano was watching him all the while, one eyebrow raised.  "This really is serious, isn't it?"  He pointed at Kenshin's gun doubtfully.  'I mean, you're going to bring your gun with you."

"Sano, like most warehouses," Kenshin started, ignoring Sano's comment once again.  "I'm confident that this one has a back door which is almost always kept open when there is an operation going on inside the building.  That back door serves as the escape exit.  We will both find that back door.  Once we've gotten inside the building, I want you to see what that truck was carrying, while I try taking them out one by one.  Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah."  Sano replied uncaringly as he also loaded his gun.  "I asked for some asses to kick.  Now I've got more than some of them."  He looked at Kenshin and smirked with pleasure.  "Let's roll, pardner."  

They both got off of the car casually but warily walked to the back of the building.

They didn't see the black Porsche parked across the parking space opposite them.  It was hidden behind tall bushes and was made invisible by the darkness.

@@@

7:45 at Ryu's office...

With the use of his body, he pinned her against the wall.  "Don't be so shy, sapphy.  I know you want to do this."  

"Ryu..."  Kaoru was panting heavily, out of nervousness and desperation.  "Please don't.  Please don't do this..." she pleaded, feeling her voice break.

"That would be...  impossible."  He whispered to her ear smugly.  Placing his hands on her shoulders, he kissed her again, his mouth almost crushing her lips.  He ran his hands down her arms.  He took her wrists and placed them above her head.  "You're going to enjoy this.  Trust me."  

_No, I don't trust you.  I did that before and I don't want to make the same mistake again, damn you!  Kaoru's mind screamed.  She frantically thought for a way out, but Ryu's mouth was driving her to distraction.  _Damn it, I hope something will happen.  My God, please help me!_  She prayed silently._

Her prayer was answered.  

Ryu's cell phone rang loudly.  He broke the kiss and angrily looked at the cell phone on top of his desk, then back at Kaoru again.  She looked back up to him, panting heavily.  He smiled and traced a finger on her jaw line.  The phone rang one more time and he dropped her wrists.  He strode towards the table and answered the phone.  

"Who the hell is this?!"  He bellowed. 

"Ryu, it's me.  I'm inside my car right now."  A man said.  It was the man he hired to spy on Kenshin Himura's every move, the man who called him when Himura drove to the airport.

"So, why the hell should I care?!"  Ryu inquired, exasperated.

The man chuckled.  "I'm inside my car right now.  And my car, by the way, is parked outside your warehouse.  And Ryu, my man, you better come here.  You've got a problem."

Ryu felt himself getting angrier as each second passed.  "Who gave you this number?"

The spy laughed.  "I couldn't reach you on your other phone so I tried this one.  Ryu, I'm a professional.  I know everything necessary about you.  You are my employer, aren't you?  I should know every way possible to report my findings to you."

The spy's explanation was ignored.  "What's the problem?"  Ryu asked as he threw a sideway glance at Kaoru's direction, who was still pressed against the wall, right hand against her chest.

The spy's voice lowered.  "It seems Himura was able to notice that the truck which brought your goods from the airport was really yours.  I just saw him and his partner creep into the building.  Passing through the back door, of course."

Ryu ran a hand on his face.  "Oh, shit."  He muttered.  "Were they the only ones?"

The spy heaved a sigh.  "Well, actually, before I came here to your warehouse, Ryu, I tapped an FBI agent's telephone and I heard him tell another agent to, you know, get ready, because they're going to bring down the Snake.  Haha.  Some of them can be pretty careless at times, you know what I mean?"  He stated casually.  To his enemies, Ryu Ban was known as 'the Snake'.

Ryu suddenly jerked into an upright position.  "Damn it!"  He slammed his clenched fist on the desk angrily.  He didn't even bother to ask how the man knew where his warehouse was located but like he said, he was a professional.  "I'll call you again if I need you."  At that, he slammed the phone back down angrily.  He looked back up into space and thought.  Suddenly, he roared an expletive.  "BASTARDS!"

Kaoru suddenly gasped at the sudden shout.  He looked at her direction.  Then, he got his phone once again and dialed the warehouse's number.  Nothing.  Somebody had cut the telephone line.  

After deciding that doing nothing would do no good, he dialed a number he had often used.  

"Ben," Kaoru heard him say to the cell phone.  "Open the door."

Kaoru heard a click from the other side of the door.  She watched Ryu shove the cell phone into his pocket and turn towards her.  He smiled at her as he walked towards her.  

When he reached her, he kissed her again and pushed her out of the way of the door.  As he opened the door, he took her by the wrist and pulled her out with him.   He fixed a smile on his face as several men waved to him from all over the room.  He took Kaoru by the hips and whispered to her ear, "Smile."

Kaoru complied and forced a smile on her face.  She looked around and saw Angela dancing on a mini stage.  She smiled at her.  The other girl smiled back but the smile was strained.  Ryu pulled her along with him as he waved to a small fat man with a protruding stomach.  A scantily-clad young red-head was seated on the fat man's knees but it was obvious to Kaoru that the young woman was forcing her smiles and giggles as she perched on the man's knees.

As they were approaching the fat man's table, Ryu called out, "Hey, Ellison!  It's been a long time, old man!"

The man looked up and smiled in greeting.  The young woman stood up from his knees and moved away as the man rose and opened his arms wide.  Ryu and the fat man shared a friendly hug.  "It's been a long time, no?"  Ellison, or whatever he was called, said cheerfully.

"I have a gift for you."  Ryu said as he motioned for Kaoru to come closer.  

She smiled at the old man and he eyed her hungrily.  Kaoru was disgusted but she hid all her disdain behind a smile.  

"You like her?"  Ryu asked him.  "She's one of my best girls but I'm afraid this is her first time."  He added, feigning apology.  

"No, no.  First time is best time."  Ellison said cheerfully.  "Where we do it?  My hotel room?  I stay at best suite."

Kaoru didn't answer, that is, until Ryu squeezed her by the waist.  "Anywhere you would want me to take you to heaven."  She immediately said. _I make myself sick._

"We leave right now?"  Ellison said and immediately walked towards the elevator.  As he passed by the red-head, Kaoru saw him shove a few bills inside her plunging neckline.  The girl beamed at him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then immediately ran into the dressing room.

Kaoru started after Ellison, but not before she heard Ryu say, "I want you to tell me what he'd be doing, reading, saying.  I want you to report to me tomorrow.  Understand, sapphy?"  She nodded and went after Ellison.  As she entered the elevator, she gave Ellison her best smile.

He pressed the button leading to the basement parking lot.  Before the elevator doors slid close, she glared at Ryu.

Ryu understood her glare.  It said, _Go to hell_. 

@@@

7:50 p.m.

"Kenshin, I've cut the telephone lines.  Should I check out the truck now?"  Sano whispered, crouching next to Kenshin behind a line of cargo boxes piled up, one above the other.

Kenshin looked around the interior of the warehouse and sighed.  "That would be a bit difficult, don't you think, Sano?"  He asked as he scanned the place.

The place looked like any other storehouse, on the outside, that is.  The interior looked like it was properly taken care of and had just been repaired.  It had a very high ceiling.  The ground floor was packed with several stacked-up cargo boxes and metal scraps.  There were three other trucks and one, black Mercedes-Benz inside the warehouse.  The red, Junie's truck sat at the very center of the place and there were about thirty-three men inside the depot, including the driver and passenger of the red truck.  Of these thirty-three men, thirty-one had guns and firearms.  

Kenshin looked beyond the trucks and saw a metal stairway leading up to the second level.  It wasn't exactly a second floor.  More like a banister or balustrade glued against the wall high up.  There were six additional armed men up there.  That's thirty-seven.  He sighed.  "Looks impossible to me."

Sano snorted.  "Impossible?  With Sano, nothing is impossible."  He looked around and counted how many armed men there were.  "Tsk, tsk.  Security, huh?"  He said below his breath as he tightened his hold on his gun.  "Kenshin, I'm going over there at the back.  I want to get a closer look."

"Okay."  Kenshin replied as he strained his ears to hear the men's conversation.  He didn't even notice Sano slinking dangerously near the center of the area.  

"Okay, let's see the stuff."  Kenshin heard a man with blond hair say.  "I hope it's good."

"Of course, it is, man."  An unshaven man replied.  

The man with blond hair chuckled humorlessly.  "Then, let's see them."

"Let's see what you've got first."  The other one countered.

"Sir..."  The driver of the red truck cut in hesitantly.  "My friend and I would like to go now."  He added nervously.

The blond-haired man cocked his head.  Immediately, two men beside him buried four bullets each into the driver's and his companion's skulls.  It looked as if strawberry punch had been spilled on the floor beneath the fresh corpses.  Kenshin felt himself getting angry as his face twisted into obvious rage and disgust.

The blond-haired man tightened his grip on his Beretta.  "Are you accusing us of backing down on our deal?"  He asked angrily, his voice rising.  He spoke as if the driver never spoke up.

"Believe me, the shoe fits, man.  You've done that before."  The unshaven guy sneered.  Several men behind him laughed, mocking.

The blond-haired man snapped his fingers.  The remaining men behind him who hadn't laughed immediately aimed their guns at the men who had ridiculed him. Kenshin can then clearly see two groups forming.  And that was when he realized.  These parties are going to have an exchange tonight.  _But what would they exchange?  Who are they working for?_

"Come on, you guys.  We have to do this quickly so let's put the past behind us."  Another man in a blue shirt from the unshaven guy's side said diplomatically, 

"Yeah, Stan, let's put the past behind us.  You shouldn't get insulted.  Be a sport, man."  The unshaven man said, ridiculously feigning apology as he theatrically frowned.  "Look, I'll show our goods first then you show yours.  Then we'll do the exchange."

Stan, the blond-haired man, stared at the unshaven guy's group for a few seconds as if thinking, then he sighed.  He snapped his fingers once again and his men put their weapons down.  "Okay, Mike.  We'll do that.  And by the way, it's Stanislaus.  Not 'Stan'.  You get that?"

"Sure, sure."  Mike, the disgustingly unkempt guy, replied.  He turned to his men.  "Unload the cargo."  Several of his men hurried to the back of the red truck and started unloading several rectangular crates.  They placed the crates on the floor beside the truck and pried them open using metal pokers and their guns.  

Stanislaus' group stood stationary on their places and watched the other group unload and pry open the crates.  Kenshin could see straw bursting from inside the crates but he couldn't quite get what was hidden among the straws.  He looked up the banister and saw two out of the six men whispering to each other, their eyes fixed at the far end of the warehouse, at the back.  Kenshin held his breath.  _Sano, don't do anything stupid! _ 

He pressed himself against the boxes before him to not focus attention on himself, clutching his gun tightly in both hands.  He stole a peek once again at the six men up the banister.  His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he jerked back behind the boxes.  _Was it my imagination or was one of those men up there staring right at me?  _Kenshin asked himself.  He peeked once again and sure enough, that same man, with brown hair, beard and moustache, was staring down at him out of the corner of his eyes.

Kenshin shifted his gaze on the two groups a few feet away from his position and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.  

"So...  what do you think?"  Mike asked Stanislaus, gesturing royally towards the machine guns and several other armaments his men held up from the crates. 

Stanislaus smirked, slowly massaging his chin.  "Not bad, Mike, not bad.  We'll take them."  He motioned his men to get the weapons.

Mike's men immediately held their guns up, ready to shoot.  Mike held up his hand as Stanislaus' men were starting towards the crates.  "The documents, Stanislaus.  That was the deal, remember?  We give you the artillery; you give us the documents my boss asked for."

_Boss?  Kenshin thought, straining his ears._

"Okay, fine."  Stanislaus said.  A man behind him handed him a long brown envelope which he threw at Mike's feet.  "There.  You happy?"

Mike glared at him and stooped down.  He picked the enveloped and began scanning its contents.  His men still haven't put their weapons down.  After examining the documents, he glared back up.  "What do you think am I?  Stupid?  This is lacking!  Where's the file about my boss's investments and connections in Europe and the Middle East?"

"Well... my boss decided to keep that."  Stanislaus said casually, shrugging.

"BULLSHIT, STAN!"  Mike roared, aiming his 9mm caliber gun directly at Stan's face.

At that, Stan's men held up their guns too at Mike and his men.  It was a shoot-and-die situation.  

"Wow, look at that gun!"  A voice at the back of the depot suddenly exclaimed. 

All guns, including Mike's, changed target.  The target was Sano.

Sano didn't seem to mind that he might be a walking bullet-counter sooner or later.  "Where'd you get that gun?"  He asked Mike in particular as he walked towards the two groups, smiling.  He stopped several feet away from them and stared at them all smugly.

Kenshin slapped his forehead.  _Great.  _He thought tiredly. 

He stood up from his crouched position and took a deep breath.  He then walked out into the open, a few feet behind Stanislaus' group, gun aimed at both Mike and Stanislaus.  "Sorry.  Party's over."  He said in a loud voice.  

At the sound of his voice, all eyes shifted to him.  Half of Stanislaus' men jerked towards him and aimed their guns at him, then at Sano, then back at him again.    

Stanislaus suddenly let out a laugh.  "You must be Kenshin Himura, aren't you?  I've heard about you.  They said you're very good.  But don't you think what you and your partner just did and are doing right now are a bit stupid?"  He laughed.  

Kenshin shrugged, the right corner of his mouth twitching up into a humorless smile.  "Maybe."

"Give it up, Himura."  Mike chirped.  "You are outnumbered."

Sano cracked his gum loudly.  "What?  Am I invisible?"  He asked no one in particular as he pulled out his gun.

Mike stared at Sano impassively.  "You are still outnumbered.  Two against thirty-seven armed men."

"Wrong."  A voice from above them said, echoing.  "Eight against thirty-one can make a difference."

Everyone looked up the banister.  All six men up there had their guns pointed at Stanislaus, Mike and their groups.  The man who had stared at Kenshin minutes before pulled at his hair.  The brown hair came off.  It was a wig.  Then he pulled off the brown stocking he had over his dark hair.  Next, he removed his moustache and beard. 

"AOSHI!"  Sano and Kenshin yelled in surprise, simultaneously.

The remaining five did the same, pulling off stockings and wigs and moustaches.  They looked like something taken out of a Big Mama film.

"What'd you do to my men?!"  Mike yelled angrily.  

"Hannya took care of them."  Aoshi answered coolly.

Mike began to redden and steam was visibly seen coming out of his ears.  "KILL THEM!!"

Kenshin instantaneously ran towards one of Stanislaus' men and grabbed him by the neck, blocking his windpipe.  The man immediately fell limp to the floor.  Kenshin looked up and saw the center of the warehouse clear out.  Most of the men before him ran out of the depot through the back door while some ran for cover behind cargo boxes as Aoshi and his men rained them with bullets from above.  Blood spewed to the floor as four bodies fell down.  One of the bodies was Mike's.  Bubbles of blood formed on his lips as he lost his breath, muttering expletives.  

Kenshin saw Stanislaus dart from his hiding place behind a pile of metal scraps and towards the back door.  On his way, he grabbed the brown envelope from Mike's cold hands.  Kenshin started towards him but Stanislaus shot at him but missed.  Aoshi aimed his gun down at Stanislaus' running form and shot, successfully hitting the man at the arm.  The man hissed in pain but still dashed out the back door.  Sano raised an eyebrow at Kenshin and Kenshin nodded.  Then Sano ran after Stanislaus.

Kenshin stood and saw one man hiding behind a stack of cargo boxes, quivering.  The man, seeing Kenshin stare at him, shakily aimed his gun at Kenshin and began pulling the trigger.  

He attempted to shoot Kenshin but Kenshin was faster.  He shot him at the wrist.  The man howled in pain as he let go of his gun, his whole body shaking as he saw blood gush out of his wrist.  His face began to take on a bluish shade, then he finally fell to the floor...  in dead faint. 

Kenshin sighed then looked up to Aoshi.  Aoshi nodded then he and his men ran down the metal staircase and moved towards him.  The other men spread out in search of the prey.  Kenshin heard one scream after another fill the whole building, then another one roaring, "SHIT!"  Another begging for mercy and another assuring someone he won't be hurt.

"You said Hannya is outside?"  Kenshin asked Aoshi.

"Yes."  Aoshi replied, expression remaining stoic.  "With several others."  He added.

Kenshin and Aoshi walked towards the large metal door and pulled it open.  They used a lever to secure it in place.  

What greeted Kenshin when they opened the metal door was a bit of a shocker.  He looked around the parking space curiously.  The whole place was swarming with cars and agents.  Their sirens were loudly wailing to the max that Kenshin can't even hear himself.  Several men were escorting their prisoners towards safety vans from inside the building and from the trees at the back of the warehouse.  

He saw Sano holding Stanislaus from behind, walking from behind some trees a few feet from the area where Kenshin's car was parked.  Suddenly, Stanislaus jerked free, turned around and punched Sano hard in the face.  Angered, Sano punched back.  Stanislaus staggered back and was caught by several men and was shoved up on the safety van.  The doors were locked close and the van sped away.  The van's loud engine drowned Stanislaus' expletives and curses.

Sano walked towards Kenshin and Aoshi.  "Whoa!  I just love what we just did!"

"Sano, did you get the brown envelope Stanislaus, or whoever he was, got from Mike's hands before he ran out to escape?"  Kenshin asked, voice serious.

Sano's expression suddenly grew solemn.  "That's the problem, you guys.  When I found him in the woods, he was on his knees, burning the envelope using a lighter."

"Those files were photocopies."  Aoshi concluded.

Sano shoved his hands into his pockets.  "So, did we find something tonight?"

Kenshin heaved a sigh.  "Yes and no."

Sano groaned.

Aoshi looked around the cemented parking lot as he watched the whole place clear out as the cars began leaving one by one.  "Then, let's just hope Stanislaus will sing."

@@@

8:32 p.m.

"Come in, girly.  Do not be shy."  Marlon Hoyle Ellison chirped sweetly to Kaoru when the elevator doors opened into the penthouse's black marble foyer.  He settled his pudgy hand at the back of her waist and they both stepped into the private vestibule of his suite.  The doors automatically closed behind them and the elevator started its swift descent.   "You make yourself comfortable, yes, while I go shower."  He drawled disgustingly as he switched on the tiny lights concealed in the cove of the ceiling.  

Ellison disappeared through a door which she guessed was a bedroom door.  Kaoru sighed and noticed that the door was half-way open.  She walked towards it and opened it all the way.  A four-poster bed sat a few feet from her and there was another door at the far end of the bedroom.  

_Must be the bathroom.__  Kaoru thought._

She turned her back on the room and went back into the foyer.  She looked around and saw a large, built-in cabinet which was supposed to be some sort of bar at the right-hand corner of the vestibule.  She walked over to the bar and removed a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, certain that Ellison... er... Hoyle or whoever he was wouldn't mind.  She popped the cork on the champagne and plunged the bottle into the ice bucket on the bar.  Automatically, she looked around for a glass.  She saw one on the top shelf and immediately reached for it.  After a few minutes, she heard the bedroom door slam shut.  

_Okay, Kaoru.  This is it.  You aren't going to kill him.  You're only trying to protect your virginity.  Nobody's going to coerce you to have _sex with nobody._   She heaved a sigh, preparing herself.  __Here goes nothing._

She tucked the ice bucket into the crook of her elbow and, with a champagne flute in each hand, forced herself to take small, cautious steps towards the bedroom door.

She stood outside the door and, hesitantly, knocked thrice.  "Ummm, Mr. Ellison, may I come in?"

"Yes, yes, please!"  She heard him reply from the inside of the room.

She turned the knob and threw the door open.  Walking into the room, she saw Ellison's corpulent form sitting on the edge of the bed, engulfed in one of the hotel's thick, terry-cloth robes.  She walked towards a coffee table and set the ice bucket and champagne flutes on it.

She stood in front the coffee table in such way that she had her back on the man.  "Champagne, Mr. Ellison?"  She asked softly, secretly wincing at the sexual tone of her own voice.  

Ellison looked up gratefully, smiling.  "Yes, please!  Thank you, thank you!"  He said.  He was looking over some papers.

Kaoru smiled to hide her disgust.  She turned her attention back to the champagne.  Taking the champagne bottle in one hand, she took the flute in the other and filled it half-way with alcohol.  She glanced over her shoulder at Ellison, eyes wary, and slowly reached into her plunging neckline.

Megumi had given her a powerful soporific, a valium, and insisted Kaoru to bring a packet with her.  The woman even resorted to extortion, saying that she would leak the news to the entire university about Kaoru's new-found career and the rumors would turn out so bad that Kaoru won't even consider going back there – albeit for 'Kaoru's own good'.

Kaoru dumped the tranquilizer into the glass and watched it dissolve.  She took the flute in her hand and whirled it around slightly, just enough to let the powder settle at the bottom of the glass and seem as if it had never found its way into it.  Then she filled it with champagne all the way, almost reaching the rim.

She carried the champagne flute to Ellison, which he gratefully accepted with a wide smile that his eyes were almost hidden between the folds of thick, loose, facial skin, and she sat down beside him on the bed.

After finishing his shot, he stared at the glass in his hand and up to her.  "I wants more."  He said, shoving the glass into Kaoru's open hands.

Kaoru nodded, stood up and went back to the coffee.  With her back on Ellison, she filled the glass once again, dumping the remaining valium into it.  She took the glass in one hand and removed the bottle from the ice bucket.  She walked back to the bed and handed the champagne flute to him, putting the bottle on the floor near her feet.  

He finished that drink then took another one.  Then another.  By his sixth shot, Kaoru was eyeing him with obvious amusement, a hint of sarcasm in her eyes.  He had finished six glasses of champagne yet he's still standing like a gallant heavy-weight champion, which obviously, he wasn't, and ready to take more punches.

At his tenth drink, Kaoru began to feel desperate.  _Sooner or later, he'd stop drinking and, instead of sleeping, he'd...  Kaoru shuddered at the thought of what would happen if he would still be awake.  _

Just when Kaoru's hopes were about to fall, Marlon Hoyle Ellison dropped the fragile glass to the floor.  Kaoru stifled a scream and quickly stooped down and caught the glass before it hit the floor.  

Ellison seemed not to care. He stood up and walked towards a desk beside the bed and shuffled through a stack of documents.  Kaoru watched him for a few minutes.

Finally, he took the documents and placed them inside a briefcase.  Kaoru noticed he had not secured the lock at all.  He smiled at her and walked towards the huge closet.  He was watching her intently when he opened the closet. 

Kaoru wasn't used to such frank scrutiny.  Self-consciously, she tucked a strand of stray hair behind her ear.

"You a nice girl."  He said, reaching for something inside the closet.  "I likes you many much."  He held up a nice, black purse for Kaoru to see.  "You likes it?  I give to you."

He approached her and dropped the purse on her lap.  She took it on her hand and felt very guilty.  _Easy, Kaoru._  She reminded herself.  _You're not killing him.  You're only putting him to sleep._

He was yawning when he lied back on the bed.  "I'm getting a bit sleepy now.  Let's do it before I fall asleep."  He said.

Kaoru stared at him, mouth dropping open.  Megumi said the valium would work immediately.  It was a strong sedative.  _How come he's not yet asleep?!_

Ellison watched her inquisitively.  "Take off your dress now so we may start."  He said once again, tone impatient.  He yawned once again.  Then again.  Then again.

Kaoru reluctantly stood up and turned her back on him.  She closed her eyes and willed the tears to not fall.  

"HURRY!"  He urged.

She placed her hands on her right shoulder, then, closing her eyes, slowly pulled down the strap of the dress.  When the strap was halfway down her arm, she settled her hands on her other shoulder.

As she was in the process of pulling the other strap down, she heard a noise.  It was the kind of noise Yahiko makes when he was asleep, but the sound was kind of deep.  She turned around, expression expectant.  She almost cried and screamed with joy when she saw Ellison sleeping soundly among the sheets, snoring loudly.  He looked like a big human teddy bear!

She fell to the floor tiredly.  The tears started to fall and she covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly.  She pulled the straps up her shoulders and cried.

This was all she could take.  This was what she had to do to protect Yahiko.  He was all she had.  

She eventually fell asleep on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed.  Her tear-stricken face was a picture of weariness and agony as she slept.  

She was mumbling one thing as she drifted into the world beyond.  _Kenshin__, where are you? _

TBC

Author's notes:  I finally finished it.  I hope you enjoyed.  Sorry for all the errors you might have found.  All of the chapters, including my other fics, were all actually typed hastily.  So I never had time to read any of it from the top until after I've uploaded it to FF.net,, much less correct any typographical error before I update.   

Sorry for not updating earlier.  School just started and I realized I needed the sleep.  Actually, I had a very bad case of insomnia lately but even that can't help me face the computer because my eyes start to hurt when I do so.  So that's all.  


End file.
